System and method of managing user accounts to track outcomes of real world wagers revealed to users

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to systems and methods of maintaining revealed and unrevealed balances that both belong to a user, but the user is aware only of the revealed balance. In this manner, the system can give the user an impression that a value (e.g., a cash amount or other value) has been gained or lost by transferring the value between the revealed and unrevealed balances of the user, even though no gain or loss actually occurred. The unrevealed balance may include a payout from a real-world wager. Thus, payout may be revealed to the user in a manner that the user believes that the payout was won by the user through a game or other interactive media, even though the payout belongs to the user based on the payout. Other changes in value to the unrevealed and revealed balances may occur as well.

CROSS REFERENCE RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/636,128, filed Mar. 2, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/209,608, filed Mar. 13, 2014 (granted U.S. Pat.No. 8,968,082), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/779,945, filed Mar. 13, 2013, each of which areincorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/209,491, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled “System and Method ofRevealing Real World Wager Outcomes Based on User Interactions withInteractive Media;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/209,531, filedon Mar. 13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method of Selecting MechanismsUsed in Interactive Media to Reveal Outcomes of Real World Wagers;” U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/209,576, filed on Mar. 13, 2014,entitled, “System and Method of Selecting Interactive Media used toReveal Outcomes of Real World Wagers;” U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/210,281, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method ofSelecting Real World Wagers on Behalf of Users in an Integrated Wageringand Interactive Media Platform;” U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/210,293, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method ofSelecting Parameters for Real World Wagers Placed on Behalf of Users inan Integrated Wagering and Interactive Media Platform;” U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/210,308, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled,“System and Method of Timing Wagers in an Integrated Wagering andInteractive Media Platform;” U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/210,320, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method ofRevealing the Outcomes of Real World Wagers Through Single or MultipleReveals;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/209,833, filed on Mar. 13,2014, entitled, “System and Method of Revealing the Outcomes of RealWorld Wagers Through Skill Based Actions;” U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/209,873, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method ofRevealing the Outcomes of Real World Wagers Through Escalating Reveals;”U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/209,899, filed on Mar. 13, 2014,entitled “System and Method of Revealing the Outcomes of Real WorldWagers Through Allocated Reveal Payouts;” U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/209,929, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method ofRevealing the Outcomes of Real World Wagers Through Reveals andUnreveals;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/209,732, filed on Mar.13, 2014, (issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,915,781 on Dec. 23, 2014) entitled,“System and Method of Revealing the Outcomes of Real World WagersThrough Mirage Reveals;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/209,797,filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method of Revealing theOutcomes of Real World Wagers Through Guaranteed Reveals and PartnerPromotions;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/209,879, filed on Mar.13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method of Revealing Sponsored and otherItems Through Mock Reveals;” U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/209,597, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method ofRevealing the Outcomes of Real World Wagers Through Timed Reveals andReveal Decay;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/209,561, filed onMar. 13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method of Providing WageringOpportunities Based on Invitations;” U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/209,666, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method ofProviding Wagering Opportunities Based on Gameplay;” U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/209,705, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled,“System and Method of Providing Wagering Opportunities Based on ExternalTriggers;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/209,762, filed on Mar.13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method of Providing WageringOpportunities Based on Multiplayer Interactions;” U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/209,796, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled,“System and Method of Providing Wagering Opportunities Based onPromotional Content;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/209,955, filedon Mar. 13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method of Determining a RevealSpecification in an Integrated Wagering and Interactive Media Platform;”U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/209,402, filed on Mar. 13, 2014,entitled, “System and Method of Revealing the Outcomes of Real WorldWagers Through Strategic Reveals;” U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/210,145, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method ofRevealing the Outcomes of Real World Wagers Through Win-Win Reveals;”U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/210,180, filed on Mar. 13, 2014,entitled, “System and Method of Revealing the Outcomes of Real WorldWagers Through Geolocation Reveals;” U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/210,196, filed on Mar. 13, 2014 (issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,777,735 onJul. 15, 2014, entitled, “Monetization of an Integrated Wagering andInteractive Media Platform;” U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/210,212, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled, “System and Method ofSecuring Reveals of Outcomes of Real World Wagers;” and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/210,242, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, entitled,“System and Method of Providing an Integrated Wagering and InteractiveMedia Platform,” all of which are incorporated by reference herein intheir entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to systems and methods of placing real-worldwagers, obtaining outcomes of the real-world wagers, facilitating userinteractions with various interactive media, revealing the outcomes ofthe real-world wagers through the interactive media to give anappearance that the outcomes of the real-world wagers resulted from theuser interactions even though the outcomes resulted from the real-worldwagers and were determined before the user interactions, and trackingoutcomes that have been revealed to the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Certain wagering systems allow users to place wagers and obtain payouts.For example, using some of these wagering systems, users may placewagers on horse races. However, payouts resulting from such wagersresult from the wager event without interaction by the user, making thewagering and payout process one dimensional. Interactive media allowsfor user interaction, which can engage the user. However, the userinteraction is generally limited to the gameplay mechanic, multimedia(e.g., video) content, and other content needed to play the interactivemedia. Although some online interactive media allow users to placesimulated wagers (e.g., online poker using virtual currency), theoutcome of such simulated wagers are based solely on gameplay, and noton real-world wager outcomes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention addressing these and other drawbacks relates to systemsand methods of selecting and placing real-world wagers responsive to oneor more wager triggers, obtaining outcomes of the real-world wagers,facilitating user interactions with various interactive media, andrevealing the outcomes of the real-world wagers through the interactivemedia to give an appearance that the outcomes of the real-world wagersresulted from the user interactions even though the outcomes resultedfrom the real-world wagers and were determined before the userinteractions.

In an implementation, the system may keep track of values (e.g., payoutamounts) that have been revealed to the user and values that have notyet been revealed to the user. For example, a payout resulting from areal-world wager associated with a user may be added to an unrevealedbalance of the user because the payout has not yet been revealed to theuser. The unrevealed balance may not be displayed to the user. Thus, theuser may be unaware of the payout amount, even though an amount of theunrevealed balance belongs to the user. For example, the unrevealedbalance may be associated with one or more user accounts that belong tothe user (which may be maintained by the system).

The system may communicate a revealed balance associated with the user.Thus the user is aware of the revealed balance. More than one revealedbalanced and more than one unrevealed balance may be associated with theuser, so long as an amount of some value is known to the user and anamount of value is unknown to the user, even though both values are“owned” by the user. The value may include a cash (e.g., real currencyvalue), a virtual currency, a virtual item, and/or other items having avalue or perceived value.

For simplicity, a cash value will be used in the following examples,which are for illustrative purposes and not intended to be limiting. Thesystem may use the revealed/unrevealed balances in various ways. Forexample, the system may use the unrevealed balance to reveal cashamounts to the user in a manner that the user believes the cash amountshas been acquired, even though the cash amounts already belonged to theuser. In a particular example, the user may perform an objective in agame and apparently be awarded with a cash prize for doing so.

The user is therefore given an impression that the cash prize resultedfrom performing the objective. The system facilitates this impression bytransferring the cash amount from the unrevealed balance to the revealedbalance. Thus, although no net change in value of the user's one or moreaccounts has occurred, the user perceives that such a change occurred.The system may also give the user the impression that the user has lostsomething of value, even though no net loss has occurred. For example,the system may transfer a cash amount from the user's revealed balanceto the user's unrevealed balance.

The system may use the transfer in the context of multiple usersinteracting with one another. In this context, each user may beassociated with respective revealed and unrevealed accounts. The systemmay facilitate an impression that one user is taking something of valuefrom another user. For example, the system may transfer an amount fromthe taking user's unrevealed balance to the taking user's revealedbalance to give the impression that the taking user has gained somethingof value (from a losing user). The system may transfer the same amountfrom the losing user's revealed account to the losing user's unrevealedbalance to give the impression that the losing user has lost somethingof value (from the taking user). Other contexts may be used as well togive a user an impression of a gain or a loss, even though no such gainor loss actually occurs.

By integrating real-world wager outcomes with gameplay and other userinteractions, the system may provide an engaging user experience withinteractive media. For example and without limitation, a game may revealan outcome of a real-world wager that has already occurred in responseto in-game actions such as user actions in the game, other players'actions in the game, game events (e.g., events caused by the gamelogic/artificial intelligence), and/or other events. In this manner, thesystem provides an appearance to the user that the revealed outcome ofthe real-world wager occurred based on the in-game actions. Inparticular, the user may be given the impression that the user won apayout based on an in-game action, when, in fact, the payout resultedfrom the real-world wager.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system of revealing real-world wager outcomes basedon user interactions with interactive media, according to animplementation of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a data flow diagram in a system of revealingreal-world wager outcomes based on user interactions with interactivemedia, according to an implementation of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a data flow diagram in a system of revealingreal-world wager outcomes based on user interactions with interactivemedia provided by a third party interactive media provider, according toan implementation of the invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram for a process of revealing real-worldwager outcomes based on user interactions with interactive media,according to an implementation of the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram for a process of revealing outcomes ofreal-world wagers that were triggered before user interactions withinteractive media, according to an implementation of the invention.

FIG. 6A illustrates a portion of a flow diagram for a process ofrevealing outcomes of real-world wagers triggered by user interactionswith interactive media, according to an implementation of the invention.

FIG. 6B illustrates another portion of a flow diagram for the process ofrevealing outcomes of real-world wagers triggered by user interactionswith interactive media, according to an implementation of the invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a screenshot of a user interface used to interactwith the interactive media and wager platform provided by the computersystem, according to an implementation of the invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a screenshot of a user interface used to manage useraccounts, including transferring funds and purchasing tokens, accordingto an implementation of the invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates a screenshot of a user interface used to directlyplace wagers using the interactive media and wager platform provided bythe computer system, according to an implementation of the invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates a screenshot of a user interface used to selectgames to play using the interactive media and wager platform provided bythe computer system, according to an implementation of the invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates a screenshot of a user interface used to play a gameinvolving user skill in which a payout is revealed based on an eventthat occurs during gameplay, according to an implementation of theinvention.

FIG. 12 illustrates a screenshot of a user interface used to play a gameinvolving user skill in which a payout is revealed based on a gameplayresult, according to an implementation of the invention.

FIG. 13 illustrates a screenshot of a user interface used to play a gamein which a payout is revealed based on random selections, according toan implementation of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 of revealing real-world wager outcomesthrough different reveal mechanisms that may be based on userinteractions with interactive media (e.g., games, mobile applications,online applications, television programs, etc.), according to animplementation of the invention. The user interactions may include, forexample, providing input to, receiving output from, downloading,streaming, and/or otherwise interfacing with the interactive media.

System 100 may place a real-world wager based on one or more wagerparameters that includes information used to specify and/or place awager. The wager parameters may include, without limitation, a type ofevent on which to wager (e.g., horse races), a particular event (e.g., aparticular horse race) on which to wager, a particular event parameter(e.g., a selection of a winner), a type of wager, an amount of thewager, a timing related to when to place the wager, a location of whereto place the wager (e.g., a locality or wagering system 140), and/orother parameter that is used to place a wager.

A real-world wager may relate to any of a variety of wager events basedon a set of wager parameters. For example, the wager event may include,without limitation, a sporting event, a random event (e.g., randomnumber picks from a lottery), stock market activity, a political race,and/or other form of risk resolution that provides a return against anamount wagered depending on the outcome of the wager event. In animplementation, the wager relates to a wager event that has not yetoccurred. The wager may be based on various criteria, including thelegality based on where a user is located and other user-relatedparameters (e.g., age).

System 100 may obtain an outcome of the real-world wager and reveal theoutcome based on one or more reveal parameters that specify when toreveal the outcome and/or a reveal mechanism. The one or more revealparameters may include, without limitation, a date/time to reveal theoutcome, a game or other interactive media used to reveal the outcome,an amount of the outcome (e.g., a portion of a payout) to reveal, and/orother reveal parameters.

The reveal mechanisms may give the appearance to the user that the userachieved the outcome through the user interactions even though theoutcome resulted from the real-world wager and was determined before theuser interactions with the interactive media. Such interactions mayinclude gameplay, multimedia views, multimedia downloads, and/or otherinteractions that can give the appearance to the user that they won orlost something based on the interactions. For example, the user may begiven the impression that an in-game action resulted in a cash win, eventhough the cash win resulted from a real-world wager that was placed andthe in-game action triggered the win.

The interactive media may include, without limitation, mobile, online orother games, other multimedia content, and/or other media that may bepresented to and/or interacted with by a user. The interactive game mayinvolve a skill, physical coordination, problem solving, and/or or otheractivity unrelated or related to the underlying wager event. Forexample, the interactive game may include, without limitation, acrossword puzzle, an action game, a puzzle game, a shooting game (e.g.,a first person shooter game), a strategy game (e.g., chess, checkers,go, etc.), a pinball-type game, a card game, a single player game(including games against an AI player), a multiplayer game (includinggames against other users), a game of chance, such as a slot machine, abingo game, a lottery, casual games, alternate reality games, FLASHgames, handheld games, a math game, a match game, a prediction game orchallenge, an arcade game, etc. The interactive game may also include apassive form of entertainment requiring little if any intervention fromthe user. The interactive game may be run on any platform such as aconsole, a computer, a mobile device, and/or other device that canfacilitate gameplay of the interactive game.

The multimedia content may include a video, audio, image, text, data,and/or other media content that may be interacted with (e.g.,viewed/listened to for a period of time, downloaded, etc.). For example,a slide show may be presented to the user, with random payouts presentedto the user while watching the slide show. Thus, certain implementationsdo not require a game or game play in order to provide the delayedreveal functionality described herein.

System 100 may provide the outcome of wagers directly to the user orthrough the reveal mechanisms described herein based on a userpreference. In this manner, the system and/or user may decide whether toobtain outcomes directly or through one or more of the various revealmechanisms described herein.

Other uses of system 100 are described herein and still others will beapparent to those having skill in the art. Having described a high leveloverview of some of the system functions, attention will now be turnedto various system components that facilitate these and other functions.

System Components

System 100 may include a computer system 104, one or more wageringsystems 140, one or more payment systems 150, one or more interactivemedia providers 160, one or more partner promotions providers 170, oneor more user devices 180, and/or other components. Computer system 104may debit and/or credit funds related to real-world wagers throughpayment system(s) 150. Computer system 104 may place real-world wagerswith one or more wagering system(s) 140. Computer system 104 mayinterface with third party interactive media provider(s) 140 to allowuser interactions through third party media, interface with partnerpromotions provider(s) 170 to leverage the system to provide partnerpromotions, and provide various interfaces to user device(s) 180 so thatusers may interact with computer system 104.

To facilitate these and other functions, computer system 104 may includeone or more computing devices 110. Each computing device 110 may includeone or more processors 112, one or more storage devices 114, one or moredatabases 130, a third party interactive media Application ProgrammingInterface (“API”) 134, a partner API 136, and/or other components.

Processor(s) 112 may be programmed by one or more computer programinstructions, which may be stored in storage device(s) 114. The one ormore computer program instructions may include, without limitation,enrollment instructions 120, account manager instructions 121, wageruser interface (“U/I”) instructions 122, wager processing instructions123, wager outcome reveal instructions 124, and/or other instructions125.

Enrolling Users to Obtain User Information

In an implementation, enrollment instructions 120 may programprocessor(s) 112 (and therefore computer system 104) to enroll a user touse computer system 104. As used hereinafter, for convenience, thevarious instructions will be described as performing an operation, when,in fact, the various instructions may program processor(s) 112 toperform the operation.

To enroll the user, enrollment instructions 120 may obtain userinformation such as, without limitation, a username, a password,demographic information, user risk profile information, payment accountinformation, and/or other information related to the user. Onceobtained, enrollment instructions 120 may store a portion or all of theuser information in a database for later retrieval (such as in one ormore database(s) 130). It should be understood that enrollmentinstructions 120 may obtain at least some of the foregoing userinformation after the user has initially enrolled. For example,enrollment instructions 120 may obtain new user information, updates toexisting user information, and/or deletions of existing user informationafter the user has initially enrolled.

The username and password may be used to authenticate user logins tocomputer system 104. Such logins may be performed through third partyinteractive media provider(s) 160 and/or through various interactivemedia interface(s) 134 provided by computer system 104.

The demographic information may include, without limitation, a name, alocation of the user (e.g., a residence address), an age, deviceinformation, a gender, and/or other information that describes the user.The device information may include, without limitation, a mobile phonenumber, a Media Access Control address, a Subscriber Identity Moduleidentifier, and/or other information that uniquely identifies a mobiledevice of the user. Computer system 104 may use the location of the userto localize real-world wagers that are placed by computer system 104 (asdescribed herein elsewhere), provide location-based services forpromotion provider(s) 170, and/or perform other functions. Computersystem 104 may determine the location of the user based on a location ofthe user's mobile device, a residence address of the user, and/or otherinformation that indicates a location (which may or may not be areal-time location) of the user.

In an implementation, some or all of the demographic information may besubject to verification. For example, enrollment instructions 120 mayverify the address and/or age of the user by requiring verificationinformation to be submitted. Such verification information may include,without limitation, government issued document information (such as asocial security number, passport number, driver's license number, etc.),a credit card bill of the user, a location of the mobile device of theuser to be as a proxy for the location of the user, and/or otherinformation used to verify the demographic information. In this manner,enrollment instructions 120 may verify that the user is able to placereal-world wagers in compliance with applicable wagering regulations andlaws. Enrollment instructions 120 may store such verification inassociation with the user for later retrieval.

The user risk profile information may include a risk tolerance, whichindicates a level of risk that the user is willing to take with respectto real-world wagers. Enrollment instructions 120 may obtain the risktolerance through direct questionnaires to the user (e.g., request theuser to specify high, medium, low, and/or other direct indications ofrisk tolerance, such as a scale from 1 to 10), indirect questionnaires(e.g., request the user to specify whether higher payouts, but lowerchance of winning, are preferred, etc.), previous wagering history ofthe user, and/or other methods of obtaining a risk tolerance of theuser. In an implementation, computer system 104 may use the user riskprofile information to automatically identify types, quantities, and/oramounts of wagers to place on behalf of the user.

The payment account information may include, without limitation, acredit card number, a debit card number, a smart card number, an onlinepayment account identifier (e.g., a PAYPAL account identifier), a bankaccount routing number, Advanced Deposit Wagering (“ADW”) accountidentification information, and/or other information that can be used toidentify a payment account that is used to debit and/or credit funds.

Managing User Accounts for Wagering, Payouts, and Losses

Account manager instructions 121 may maintain one or more types ofaccounts associated with a user. The different types of account mayinclude, without limitation, a payment account (e.g., credit cardaccount, a debit card account, etc.), an Advanced Deposit Wagering(“ADW”) Account, a token account, a revealed account, an unrevealedaccount, and/or other types of accounts. Account manager instructions121 may cause funds or other forms of value to be debited from and/orcredited to one or more accounts associated with the user (e.g., one ormore accounts identified during user enrollment) in connection withvarious operations performed by computer system 104. For example,account manager instructions 121 may debit one or more payment accountsof the user in connection with a real-world wager that is placed bycomputer system 104 on behalf of the user. Account manager instructions121 may debit a payment account of the user at before or after a wagerhas been placed. For example, the account manager instructions 121 maydebit a payment account of the user before a real-world wager is placed.Alternatively, when legal, a wager may be made without advance funding,and user accounts may be settled at a later date if the wager resultedin a loss (e.g., by invoicing the user, charging a user credit card,and/or otherwise causing a user's payment account to be debited).

In an implementation, account manager instructions 121 may interfacewith external accounting systems (e.g., an accounting system associatedwith a state gambling system) to manage (e.g., view balances, update,etc.) an external account.

In an implementation, account manager instructions 121 may cause anexisting ADW account of the user to be debited in connection with thereal-world wager. For wagers associated with ADW, a bettor is requiredto fund an ADW account prior to placing a wager. The ADW account mayinclude a payment account that is used to fund such ADW. The ADW accountmay, in an implementation, include a segregated trust account that isused to fund ADW wagers.

In an implementation, account manager instructions 121 may cause one ormore payment accounts of the user to fund the ADW account in connectionwith the real-world wager (and/or the user may separately fund the ADWaccount without using computer system 104).

In an implementation, account manager instructions 121 may receive auser indication of whether any payout resulting from a wager should bepaid to the user immediately. In other words, a user may specify thatthe user wishes to receive a payout immediately, in which case, accountmanager instructions 121 may credit a user payment account (e.g., a bankaccount) with the payout amount. On the other hand, if the userspecifies that the payout should be processed according to the revealplatform of computer system 104, then the payout may be revealed asdescribed herein with respect to wager outcome reveals.

In an implementation, account manager instructions 121 may generate andprovide one or more user interfaces that allow the user to transferfunds between user accounts, view user account information (e.g.,balances, previous wagers, payouts, losses, etc.), and/or otherwiseinteract with user account information related to payment accounts ofthe user. For example, account manager instructions 121 may generate andprovide one or more user interfaces that allow the user to transferfunds from a bank account to an ADW account. In an implementation,account manager instructions 121 may use one or more payment system(s)150 to process the foregoing and other fund transfers. For example,account manager instructions 121 may communicate conventional ElectronicFunds Transfer requests, Automated Clearinghouse payment requests,and/or other suitable payment requests to payment system(s) 150.

In an implementation, account manager instructions 121 may generate andprovide one or more user interfaces that indicate previously placedwagers, wager outcomes (e.g., payouts, losses, and draws), and/or otherinformation related to wagers. In another implementation, accountmanager instructions 121 may not display wager outcomes so that the useris unaware of actual wager outcomes and instead is required to discoversuch outcomes through interactive media interface(s) 132 provided bycomputer system 104 and/or third party interactive media provided bythird party interactive media provider(s) 160 as described herein. Inyet another implementation, account manager instructions 121 may display(or not display) wager outcomes based on a user configurable setting(e.g., depending on whether the user chooses to view the wager outcomeswithout user interactions with the interactive media).

Allocating Tokens

In an implementation, account manager instructions 121 may allocate atoken and store the allocated token using a user account associated withthe user. The token may be defined by one or more token parameters thatdescribe the token. A token parameter may include, for example, adenomination of the token, an amount or value of the token, a level ofrisk associated with the token (which may determine a level of risk of awager placed using the value of the token), and/or other characteristicof the token.

As used herein, the term “token” generally refers to a unit of value.The unit of value may correspond to (e.g., be representative of) anamount of real currency (e.g., a U.S. dollar), an amount of virtualcurrency (e.g., an in-game currency), an amount of digital currency(e.g., a BITCOIN), a reward point, a tournament point, an experiencepoint in a game, a time value (e.g., a stock option or future),combinations of the foregoing, and/or other measure of real or perceivedvalue. Unless contextually or explicitly indicated otherwise, a tokenmay be represented using any type of visual representation.

The user account may indicate a number of tokens, a type of token, anamount of other value (e.g., cash winnings, funds transfers, etc.),and/or other information related to a value that is associated with theuser.

In an implementation, account manager instructions 121 may manage morethan one type of token. For example, a given token may represent oneunit of value (e.g., one dollar) while another token may representanother unit of value (e.g., five dollars). Furthermore, a given tokenmay represent real currency while other another token may representexperience points. Some tokens may represent a combination of differentunits of value such as an amount of real currency and an amount ofreward points. For example, a given token may represent ten U.S. dollarsand 1000 airline miles.

In an implementation, account manager instructions 121 may allocatetokens by adding a number of tokens to the user account (e.g.,increasing a number of tokens), adding a unit of value to a token (e.g.,incrementing a dollar value of a given token and/or adding airline milesto a token that originally was worth a given amount of dollars), and/orotherwise increasing a value of tokens in the user account. Likewise,account manager instructions 121 may de-allocate, or subtract, units ofvalue from the user account.

Account manager instructions 121 may make such allocations based on anaction that causes tokens to be allocated to a user. The action may beinitiated by the user, the system, and/or a third party. For example,the action may include a purchase (e.g., the user may purchase tokens),a promotional campaign, a bonus based on user interactions withinteractive media, a consolation prize, a wager outcome, and/or otherallocation technique. The consolation prize and/or the bonus may eachinclude an item such as a virtual item that is not otherwise purchasableor may include an item that is being promoted.

In an implementation, account manager instructions 121 may facilitate atoken purchase using payment account information of the user, which maybe pre-stored or newly added at the time of the purchase. Accountmanager instructions 121 may facilitate purchase of differentdenominations of tokens having different denominations (e.g., ten cents,fifty cents, one dollar, two dollars, five dollars, ten dollars, etc.).In an implementation, a fixed amount and/or a percentage of the tokenpurchase price may be retained by the system operator, acting as thehouse.

Using Tokens

In an implementation, a token may be used to initiate wagers, interactwith interactive media (e.g., purchase or play games, videos, etc.),purchase virtual goods, exchange for other tokens, and/or otherwise beused to obtain another unit of value or perceived value.

In an implementation, a token, when used, may be depleted by one or moreunits of value. For example, account manager instructions 121 maydeplete all or a portion of the value of a token used to place a wagerto provide currency for the wager. If the wager results in a payout (ordraw), account manager instructions 121 may increase the value of thetoken such that the depleted value is replenished. Depending on thepayout amount, the token may be worth more after the wager outcome thanbefore the wager was placed. The increase in value of the token may berevealed in a time-delayed manner as described herein. In animplementation, account manager instructions 121 may distribute thepayout across more than one token, which may be owned by the user and/orother users.

Managing Actual User Accounts and Unrevealed Payouts

In an implementation, account manager instructions 121 may maintain anactual user account that includes an actual balance. The actual balancemay be denominated in real currency, virtual currency, and/or other unitof value. In an implementation, the actual balance may include acombination of different units of value (e.g., real currency and virtualitems).

Certain crediting events may cause funds to be credited to the actualuser account. The crediting events may include, without limitation,funds transfers from a payment account to the actual user account, areal-world wager payout, and/or other events that can cause the actualbalance to increase. Certain debiting events may cause funds to bedebited from the actual user account. The debiting events may include,without limitation, withdrawals from the actual user account (e.g., atransfer of real currency from the actual user account to anotheraccount), purchases of one or more items (e.g., tokens, virtual items,etc.), placement of real-world wagers (e.g., to pay for the real-worldwagers in advance), and/or other events that can cause the actualbalance to decrease.

In an implementation, at least a portion of the actual account balancemay be associated with a given token. For example, for a given actualuser account, eight real currency dollars may be associated with a firsttoken such that the first token is worth eight real currency dollars.Two real currency dollars may be associated with a second token suchthat the second token is worth two real currency dollars. The value ofeach token may be adjusted (e.g., incremented or decremented) in amanner similar to the actual account balance being adjusted. Forexample, a payout from a real-world wager that was placed using a giventoken may be credited to the real currency value of the given token (andtherefore credited to the corresponding actual user account). Likewise,use of a token may decrease the real currency value of the token (andtherefore debited from the corresponding actual user account).

In an implementation, at least a portion of the actual account balancemay not be associated with a given token. For example, five realcurrency dollars may not be associated with a token. A portion of theactual balance may be associated with one or more tokens while anotherportion of the actual balance may not be associated with one or moretokens. In the foregoing examples, a given actual account balance mayhave a total actual value of fifteen real currency dollars (eight ofwhich is associated with the first token, two of which is associatedwith the second token, and five of which is associated with realcurrency that is not associated with a token). Account managerinstructions 121 may provide access to the total actual value (e.g.,fifteen dollars) and/or a breakdown of the total actual value (eightdollars associated with the first token, two dollars associated with thesecond token, and five dollars not associated with a token).

In an implementation, account manager instructions 121 may maintain atracking account that tracks any unrevealed outcomes of real-worldwagers. For example, a payout in the amount of five dollars resultingfrom a real-world wager may be credited to the tracking account untilthe payout is revealed. A reveal opportunity may be presented to theuser in the form of a game objective. If the game objective is achievedby the user, the user may be given the appearance that the achievementof the game object resulted in the payout, the tracking account may bedecremented by five dollars, and the actual user account may beincremented by five dollars.

In an implementation, partial reveals may cause partial credits anddebits to occur as well. For example, if only a portion of the gameobjective was achieved, only a portion of the payout may be revealed. Inthe foregoing example, if only a portion of the objective was achieved,two of the five dollar payout may be revealed to the user, giving theuser the appearance that partial completion of the game objectiveresulted in a partial reward of two dollars. Account managerinstructions 121 may decrement the tracking account by two dollars(leaving the remaining three dollars for another reveal opportunity) andincrement the actual user account by two dollars.

Other types of tracking actual user account balances and revealedaccount balances may be used as well. For example, a first account maybe used to display a balance to the user and therefore may includepayouts that have been revealed to the user. The first account may beaccessible to make purchases, place wagers, etc., and is what the userperceives is the value of the user's account. A second account may storean amount of funds that the user has, which includes unrevealed payoutamounts. The second account may not be accessible to the user, butindicates a true value of the user's account. For example, if the secondaccount balance is higher than the first account balance, then a payouthas not been revealed to the user. Thus, as used herein, when a“tracking account” or an “actual account” of the user are updated,various ways to track whether or not a given outcome has been revealedmay be used as well. Furthermore, a “tracking account” and an “actualaccount” need not be separate accounts, but rather components of asingle account, so long as they are associated with a given user.Likewise, a “first account” and a “second account” may be components ofa single account, so long as they are associated with a given user.

Triggering Real-World Wagers

In an implementation, the purchase of a token may initiate a wager. Forexample, account manager instructions 121 may facilitate the purchase ofa particular one dollar token and may automatically initiate (e.g.,without an express wager from the user) one or more real-world wagers upto one dollar, as described herein with respect to placing wagers. Inthis implementation, different tokens may be associated with differentrisk profiles (e.g., a low risk token when purchased causes a low riskwager to be placed, a high risk token when purchased causes a high riskwager to be placed, and so on). Thus, a user may indicate a desiredlevel of risk of a wager by purchasing an appropriate token.

In an implementation, wager user interface (“U/I”) instructions 122 maygenerate and provide one or more wager interfaces that receivereal-world wagers explicitly defined by a user. For example, using theone or more wager interfaces, the user may select one or more wagerparameters used to place a wager.

Responsive to the wager parameters, wager user interface (“U/I”)instructions 122 may cause a real-world wager to be placed. Theparticular wager that is initiated may depend on the wager parameters.For example, wager user interface (“U/I”) instructions 122 may initiatea wager for an event identified by the user if the user explicitlyidentifies the event. On the other hand, wager user interface (“U/I”)instructions 122 may initiate a wager for an event that is automaticallyidentified by computer system 104 if the user selects a risk levelinstead of a particular event. Other aspects of the wager may besimilarly determined (e.g., selection of the winner of a horse race maybe based on an explicit indication from the user or based on a level ofrisk indicated by the user—e.g., select underdog horse if a high riskwager is desired by the user).

In an implementation, a real-world wager may be triggered based on a useof a token. For example, a real-world wager may be placed responsive tothe use of all or a portion of the value of a token to initiate gameplayof a game, view a video, etc. The amount of the real-world wager may bebased on the value of the token that is used. For example and withoutlimitation, if a user uses a token that is associated with one realcurrency dollar to play a game, a real-world wager in the amount of onereal currency dollar may be placed on behalf of the user.

In an implementation, a real-world wager may be triggered based on auser interaction with interactive media. For example, a portion or allof the value of a token may not be wagered until a certain event occurswith respect to the game. The user interaction may include, withoutlimitation, winning a game, solving at least a portion of a puzzle,striking one or more targets, user achieving a certain number of points,a certain performance level or title, accomplishing a task within aspecified period of time, accessing a certain virtual area, collecting acertain virtual item, beating another user playing an interactive game,playing a certain period of time, a random event (e.g., a numberselected using a random number generator), a user input (e.g.,user-defined values for inputs), a physical action, a physiologicalcondition (e.g., a monitored heartbeat, a level of perspiration, a bloodglucose level, etc.; the monitored physiological condition may beobtained from a wearable device and/or other monitoring device),completion of a game, watching a video, watching a certain number ofvideos, watching a video for a certain period of time, listening toaudio content (e.g., music, podcast, etc.), listening to audio contentfor a certain period of time, viewing an image, viewing a certain numberof images, watching an advertisement, clicking on (or otherwiseselecting) an advertisement, and/or other objectives that can bemonitored with respect to interactive media content.

In an implementation, a real-world wager may be made using one or moreitems of value. For example, a user may wager a retailer gift cardagainst another user's physical goods. In an implementation, areal-world wager may be made using a combination of real currency andone or more items of value.

In an implementation, wager processing instructions 123 may identify oneor more real-world wagers to place on behalf of the user, place thereal-world wagers through wagering system(s) 140, and obtain the outcomeof the real-world wagers. Wager processing instructions 123 may betriggered to place a real-world wager based on a token purchase by auser, an explicit indication from the user, a user interaction withinteractive media from the user, and/or other wager triggers.

Selecting, Placing, and Obtaining the Outcome of Real-World Wagers

In an implementation, after a wager has been triggered, wager processinginstructions 123 may select from among different types of wagers, whichmay each be associated with characteristics such as a payout level, arisk level, and/or other characteristics. Based on the wagercharacteristics, wager processing instructions 123 may select one ormore types of wagers to place on behalf of the user (if the user has notexpressly indicate a type of wager to place). For example, depending ona particular odds and payout amount for each of the types of wagers,wager processing instructions 123 may select from among the differenttypes of wagers.

Wager processing instructions 123 may associate particular user riskprofiles with wager risk profiles associated with the various types ofwagers. For example, wager processing instructions 123 may score each ofthe types of wagers with to generate a wager risk profile based on theodds of winning and/or the payouts usually associated therewith (e.g.,higher payouts for lower odds). Wager processing instructions 123 maygenerate the wager risk profile based on a calculation of odds ofwinning and/or potential payouts. For example, the wager risk profilefor a given type of bet may be express as a product of the oddsexpressed as a decimal value and a potential payout a ratio (e.g., 6/1payout ratio yielding six times the wager). Other values may be used inthe foregoing calculation and other calculations may be used as well.The wager risk profile may be used to generate a risk matrix thatcompares the user risk profiles with the wager risk profiles to selectan appropriate number and type of wagers.

Different wager risk profiles may be associated with different levels ofrisk. For example, each type of wager may be placed along a scale oflevels of risk, with one end of the scale indicating a relatively lowrisk wager and the other end of the scale indicating a relatively highrisk wager. In this manner, the appropriate type of wager may be matchedwith an appropriate user risk profile (and/or other risk informationassociated with a real-world wager to be placed).

In an implementation, wager processing instructions 123 may blend down arisk of multiple wagers to select an appropriate set of wagers, given auser risk profile of a user. For example, for a user that accepts amoderate level of risk, wager processing instructions 123 may selectwagers having high odds of winning (e.g. low risk), but low payoutamounts and wagers having low odds of winning (e.g., high risk), buthigh payout amounts. Wager processing instructions 123 may optimize thenumber and wager amounts of low and high risk wagers to arrive at anoverall moderate risk level for the user. The various types of wagersthat may be place will now be described.

As is well known, the pari-mutuel system (sometimes known as a“totalisator”) is a betting system in which bets of a particular typeare pooled together and the final payout is not determined until theresults are declared official. The house (e.g., the race track) may takea portion of the bets as payment for the betting related functionsprovided. The payoff odds are calculated by sharing the betting poolamong the winning bets. By contrast, in fixed odds betting, the payoutis generally agreed at the time the wager is made. Certain embodimentsmay place wagers using fixed odds betting.

Common bets in horse racing include:

Win: where the bettor must pick the horse that wins the race in order towin the bet.

Place: where the bettor must pick a horse that finishes either first orsecond race in order to win the bet.

Show: where the bettor must pick a horse that finishes first, second orthird in the race in order to win the bet.

Exacta, perfecta, or exactor: where the bettor must pick the two horsesthat finish first and second in the race, in the correct order in orderto win the bet.

Trifecta: where the bettor must pick the three horses that finish first,second, and third in the race, in the correct order in order to win thebet.

Superfecta: in order to win, the wager the bettor must pick the fourhorses that finish first, second, third, and fourth in the race, in thecorrect order in order to win the bet.

Box: wherein a better can place a “box” around exotic betting types(e.g., exacta, trifecta or superfecta bets) in order to place a wagerfor all permutations of the numbers in the box.

Any2 or Duet: where the bettor must pick the two horses that will placefirst, second or third in the race but can finish in any order in orderto win the bet.

Double or Quinella: where the bettor must pick the winners of twosuccessive races in order to win the bet.

Triple Pick3: where the bettor must pick the winners of three successiveraces in order to win the bet.

Quadrella: where the bettor must pick the winners of four nominatedraces at the same track in order to win the bet.

Sweep or pick four: where the bettor must pick the winners of four ormore successive races in order to win the bet.

Pick six: where the better must pick the winners of six or moresuccessive races in order to win the bet, with a consolation paymentmade to bettors that correctly selected five winners out of six races,and with “rollover” jackpots accumulating each day until one or morebettors correctly picks all six winners.

Win, place and show wagers are generally referred to as straight bets,and the other example wagers listed above are generally referred to asexotic bets. Generally, the greater the odds against winning, the higherthe payout and the lower the frequency of a payout. Exotic bets havegreater odds against winning than straight bets, but generally withhigher payouts when a win occurs. The aforementioned types of wagers arefor illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting.Other types of wagers in other contexts may be selected from as well,including (without limitation), selecting a winning team against a pointspread, selecting over/under scores, selecting a random number,selecting a winner of a political race, and/or other event or type ofwager that may be legally placed.

Selecting Wagers

In implementation, wager processing instructions 123 may select areal-world wager based on one or more wager parameters that specify oneor more aspects of the wager. The one or more wager parameters mayinclude, without limitation, a venue at which to place the wager, anevent on which to wager, a particular outcome of the event (e.g., awinner of the horse race), a type of wager to place, an amount of thewager, a number of wagers, and/or other parameter used to place areal-world wager. In some instances, the user may directly specify someof the foregoing parameters and wager processing instructions 123 mayselect other ones of the foregoing parameters. For example and withoutlimitation, the user may identify a particular horse race on which toplace the real-world wager and wager processing instructions 123 mayselect the winner, an amount of the wager, etc.

In an implementation, wager processing instructions 123 may determine atype of wager to place based on a risk tolerance of a user and alikelihood and/or amount of payout that is expected for the type ofwager. The risk tolerance may be expressly indicated by the user,obtained from a user profile, identified by a type of token that is usedto place a wager, and/or otherwise obtained to identify the risktolerance of the user. For example, wager processing instructions 123may place straight wagers for a user having a low risk tolerance andplace exotic wagers for another user having a higher risk tolerance.

In an implementation, wager processing instructions 123 may place two ormore wagers over a combination of wager types. For example, wagerprocessing instructions 123 may make straight wagers and exotic wagersin order to hedge the wagers. Such hedging may increase the likelihoodof frequent (but smaller) wins from the straight wagers, while obtainingrelatively infrequent (larger) payouts from the exotic wagers, which maymake reveals of the wager outcomes more exciting from a userperspective.

In an implementation, wager processing instructions 123 may selectparticular events on which to place wagers based on the number ofentries in the event (e.g., the number of runners in a race), a desiredrisk profile of the user, a number of possible combinations (e.g., wherethe number of combinations may be linearly or non-linearly based on thenumber of competitors in an event), a number of favorites or long shotsin an event, and/or other factors.

In an implementation, wager processing instructions 123 may generate aresults curve, which may reflect desired wagering results ordistributions, by breaking a given wager amount down into smallerindividual wager amounts, to thereby synthesize the results curve usingsub-component bets. The synthesis of a results curve may be performedacross multiple events by placing different wagers (tokens) on differentevents.

In an implementation, wager processing instructions 123 may determineone or more types of wagers to place based on a user specification whena token is purchased, through a user profile that indicate a risktolerance, the type of token that was purchased, and/or otherinformation that may be used to determine the types of wagers to make.

As described herein, for example, different tokens may be offered thatcorrespond to different types of wagers. For example, and withoutlimitation, a frequent payout token may cause wagers to be placedsubstantially entirely on straight wagers or other wager-types with arelatively high likelihood of resulting in some level of payout), a highmultiple of return token may cause wagers to be placed substantiallyentirely on exotic bets or the like with a relatively high payoutmultiple in the event of a wager win, a balanced risk token may causewagers to be distributed over straight bets and exotic bets, and/orother types of tokens may cause particular types of wagers to be placed.

In an implementation, a given token may be associated with a specifictype of wager, such as a quick-pick superfecta wager. For certaintokens, when used by the user, wager processing instructions 123 mayautomatically pick the horses (or other event parameter) and races (orother events) on which to wager, without the user having to identify thehorses or races. Different tokens may also be typed to be used to wageron specific pools, runners, races, or other events. The token type maybe represented using text, color (e.g., a gold token may be worth tendollars, and a copper token may be worth one dollar), graphics, and/orrepresentation.

Funding Wagers Using Tokens and Distributing Payouts to Tokens

In an implementation, wager processing instructions 123 may use one ormore tokens to place one or more wagers. The one or more tokens may beassociated with a single user account or from multiple user accounts(e.g., for pooled wagers).

For a given pooled wager, a given token may correspond to a fraction ofthe pooled wager. In other words, the given wager may be formed frommultiple tokens, each token being associated with a corresponding useraccount, a system account, and/or other accounts. This allows multipleusers to pool their tokens together to place a wager (e.g., to form alarger wager than would be possible otherwise). Any payout resultingfrom the pooled wager may be distributed in proportion to the number oftokens that each user contributed to the pooled wager.

In an implementation, wager processing instructions 123 may allocate anypayout to a token associated with a winning payout and/or to othertokens. For example, when the user purchases several tokens, andcorresponding wagers are placed for each token, winnings resulting froma wager associated with one token may be distributed in whole or in partto the other tokens. If a given token resulted in a large winning andfive other tokens resulted in no winnings, for example, wager processinginstructions 123 may allocate winnings from the given token across thefive other tokens. In this manner, regardless of which token is used tointeract with interactive media (e.g., playing a game, watching a video,etc.), the user will receive a reward as a result of the userinteraction.

As discussed in greater detail elsewhere herein, tokens may beassociated with events/wagers that occurred in the past, where thesystem associating the tokens with the wagers does not have access tothe wager outcome with respect to a given token, at the time the wagersare allocated to tokens or customers. For example, the outcome may becryptographically encoded and stored, so that the outcome is digitallysealed and tamperproof.

In an implementation, wager processing instructions 123 may take intoaccount fees charged by different wagering system(s) 140,intermediaries, government entities, and/or others in deciding how toallocate wagers. For example, the system may access such feeinformation, and determine that wagers should not be placed, or shouldbe placed relatively less frequently, at certain wagering system(s) 140,or in certain states or cities because the fee(s) are too large. Thedetermination as to where to place bets may be made to enhanceprofitability of the system operator and/or to minimize such fees.

In an implementation, wager processing instructions 123 may use one ormore wager rules that specify how to select wagers, an amount of wagerthat should be placed, which wagering system(s) 140 should be used,and/or other characteristics related to selecting wagers. Wagerprocessing instructions 123 may apply the wager rules to a given user orset of users to select and place wagers. For example, wager processinginstructions 123 may apply a wager rule that specifies that straightwagers should be placed for users having low risk tolerance and applythe wager rule to a particular user that is associated with low risktolerance.

Revealing Wager Outcomes

In an implementation, wager outcome reveal instructions 124 may identifygames or other interactive media in which a reveal should occur, atiming of a reveal, an amount of a reveal, and/or other aspect of agiven reveal. Such decisions may be based on various factors such as,without limitation, an amount of payouts to be revealed for a user, whenoutcomes of real-world wagers will be available, whether a partnerpromotion provider 170 is promoting an item (e.g., high value revealsmay be steered toward games being promoted, high value reveals may beassociated with certain advertisements, etc.), and/or other factors.

In an implementation, wager outcome reveal instructions 124 may revealan outcome of a real-world wager through one or more interactive mediainterfaces with which a user associated with the real-world wagerinteracts to obtain the outcome. The outcome may include a payout, aloss, or a draw. The one or more interactive media interfaces may begenerated by wager outcome reveal instructions 124 or by third partyinteractive media provider(s) 160.

In an implementation, wager outcome reveal instructions 124 may revealthe outcome such that the outcome appears to have resulted from userinteraction with an interactive media interface. For example, theoutcome may be revealed such that it appears to have resulted from theuser having satisfied one or more objectives in the interactive mediainterface.

The one or more objectives may include, without limitation, winning agame, solving at least a portion of a puzzle, striking one or moretargets, user achieving a certain number of points, a certainperformance level or title, accomplishing a task within a specifiedperiod of time, accessing a certain virtual area, collecting a certainvirtual item, beating another user playing an interactive game, playinga certain period of time, a random event (e.g., a number selected usinga random number generator), a user input (e.g., user-defined values forinputs), a physical action, a physiological condition (e.g., a monitoredheartbeat, a level of perspiration, a blood glucose level, etc.; themonitored physiological condition may be obtained from a wearable deviceand/or other monitoring device), completion of a game, watching a video,watching a certain number of videos, watching a video for a certainperiod of time, listening to audio content (e.g., music, podcast, etc.),listening to audio content for a certain period of time, viewing animage, viewing a certain number of images, watching an advertisement,clicking on (or otherwise selecting) an advertisement, and/or otherobjectives that can be monitored with respect to interactive mediacontent.

In an implementation, wager outcome reveal instructions 124 may or maynot indicate the objective to the user. For example, in some instances,wager outcome reveal instructions 124 may indicate to the user that ifthe objective is accomplished, then a reward will be granted to theuser. If the objective is accomplished, wager outcome revealinstructions 124 may reveal the wager outcome (which is predefined) tothe user in the form of the reward.

The reward may include the wager outcome itself (e.g., a payout amount),an equivalent value of the payout in additional tokens, an equivalentvalue of the payout added to the token used to place the wager, anadditional bonus (e.g., one or more additional tokens, virtual item,currency value), and/or other item of value or perceived value. In thismanner, wager outcome reveal instructions 124 may reveal the wageroutcome such that the reward appears to have resulted fromaccomplishment of the objective even though the reward resulted from theoutcome of the wager, which occurred before the objective was evenattempted. If the objective is not accomplished, then the wager outcome(e.g., payout) may be revealed to the user at another time inassociation with another objective.

In an example embodiment, once the wager is placed (and optionally notuntil all the sporting events/races are concluded and the wager resultsare determined by the system), the interactive game may begin (althoughas discussed elsewhere herein, optionally gameplay may begin before thewager is placed and/or results are known). Based at least in part on thedetection of certain interactions of the user with the interactive game,the user may be awarded additional tokens and/or legal currency or otheritem of value. The awards may be based in whole or in part on theresults of the bet(s) placed based on the token value. However,optionally it may appear to the user that the awards are based on gameactivity and not dependent on an external physical sporting event. Theuser may optionally be notified substantially immediately, upon theoccurrence of certain interactions that trigger a reveal of an award, ofthe corresponding award (e.g., the award amount). The award may bedisplayed to the user while the interactive game interface is alsodisplayed, and may be displayed within the interactive game and/orexternal to the interactive game.

For example, if the game is a target game, a portion of the winningscorresponding to the bet(s) may be awarded to the user each time theuser hits a target, where the award (including the amount) is displayedto the user substantially immediately after a target is hit. Thus, thereveal of the wager winnings may be incrementally revealed to the userin a time delayed manner in the environment of the interactive game.Different amounts may be awarded (revealed) based at least in part onthe type interaction, such as the type of target hit or the area of atarget.

For example, if the user purchased a $1.00 token(s) and applied thetoken(s) to play the interactive game, then $1.00 (minus any featuresdeducted by the system) may be wagered on one or more races. Assumingthat the $1.00 in bets resulted in a $3.00 payout, and the target is abulls eye with different award zones (e.g., a $1.00 award zone near thecenter of the target, a 50 cent award zone surrounding the $1.00 awardzone, and a 25 cent award zone surrounding the 50 cent award zone), eachtime the user hits a given zone with a virtual projectile, thecorresponding award is displayed to the user. Once the system determinesthat the user has been awarded the $3.00 payout (minus any deductions),the user is so informed and is prompted by the system to purchase moretokens or to use already purchased tokens in the user's account.Otherwise, the game is optionally ended by the system.

Gameplay may optionally be modified by the system based at least in parton the results of the wager(s) associated with the token(s) used to playthe game, the results of a wager(s) associated with the token(s) used toplay a different game, the value of the token(s) played, the type oftokens played and/or the number of tokens played. For example, based onone or more of the foregoing criteria, a user may be given more virtuallives, extended game play, additional weapons, additional powers,additional land, additional bonus points, more game events shown, etc.By way of further example, gameplay modifications may include modifyinggame decision points, a reordering of game events, the provision ofbonuses (e.g., in the form of points, virtual goods, badges, in-gameprizes), the provision of bonus points that may have redemption value(e.g., that can be exchanged for physical goods, services, monetaryexchange, etc.), the modification of the path of moving objects withinthe game, the modification of the form of objects within the game,ending a game round or period of play earlier, extending a game round orperiod of play, enabling the user to continue playing at the next gamelevel without having to restart at the beginning of the game (e.g., ifthe user loses the game, the user does not have to start back at thebeginning, or if the user's token has been played out, the user may bepermitted to add additional tokens without having to start back at thebeginning of the game), etc.

Thus, certain embodiments time shift the display of results of wagers inorder for the consumer to have the illusion that the awards are beingwon in real time, as a result of the user's game play, even though theresults of the wagers may already be known by the system prior to theuser playing the game, and even though the user may be able to collectthe results of the wagers without playing the game.

Further, game events may optionally be used as a metaphor for a timedelay or wait period. Such metaphors may time shift game play to matchthe availability of tokens. By way of example and not limitation, theuser may have selected a game to play, but the wager results for thetoken applied to the selected game may be still unknown (and so incertain embodiments, the selected game may not be ready for play). Inorder to entertain the user until the results are known (e.g., when awagered-on race result is declared), the system may, by way of exampleand not limitation, present the user with a racing game with an unknownfinish line. The user may continue racing, without the wager resultsbeing revealed, as they are not yet known. Once the wager results becomeavailable, the finish line may be presented in the game as a metaphorindicating to the user that the token is ready to be played. When theuser crosses the finish line, the game play for the selected game maybegin or a payout may be revealed. A progress bar may also be displayed,reflecting the progress of token availability.

In an implementation, the number of tokens that are revealed (e.g.,results of associated wagers that are revealed) Optionally, the numberof in game prizes that can be or are revealed may be based at least inpart on the number of tokens played.

In an implementation, because a given token may be associated with oneor more real-world wagers, wager outcome reveal instructions 124 mayreveal payouts in association with tokens. For example, wager outcomereveal instructions 124 may reveal that a particular token is associatedwith a particular wager outcome.

Assuming that the user owns several tokens for which corresponding wageroutcomes have not been yet been revealed to the user, wager outcomereveal instructions 124 may select tokens to reveal (e.g., select wageroutcomes corresponding to tokens) based on the outcome and/or odds ofthe wagers corresponding to the tokens, and/or other factors.

For example, if three tokens resulted in winnings, and two other tokensresulted in no winnings, wager outcome reveal instructions 124 mayalternate between revealing a token associated with winnings with atoken associated with no winnings, so that the user is not disappointedby having several reveals in a row with no winnings.

In another example, if the user captures a valuable (e.g., rare) item,such as a gold chest, in a game, the wager outcome reveal instructions124 may reveal a token associated with a relatively large payout (e.g.,low odds of winning, but large payout). On the other hand, if the userfinds a low value (e.g., abundant) item, such as a glove, the wageroutcome reveal instructions 124 may reveal a token associated with arelatively small payout (e.g., high odds of winning). Thus, wageroutcome reveal instructions 124 may select which tokens (and/or value ofa payout) to reveal based on events that occur in a game.

In an implementation, wager outcome reveal instructions 124 maydetermine a win-loss gradation such that a given outcome is placed alongthe gradation. For example, a given wager may result in a net win (e.g.,wager five dollars, receive ten dollars in winnings), a partial loss(e.g., wager five dollars, receive two dollars in winnings) or completeloss (e.g., wager five dollars, receive zero dollars). A win-loss ratio(which may be expressed as a percentage or other value) may bedetermined for the amount of the win compared to the amount of the loss.For example, the ten dollar win may equate to 100 percent (e.g., net 100percent of the real-world wager), the two dollar win may equate to 40percent (e.g., net 40 percent of the real-world wager), and the zerodollar win may equate to 0 percent. Depending on the win-loss ratio fora given outcome, wager outcome reveal instructions 124 may providedifferent reveals in which items are revealed instead of or in additionto the cash value that may have been won. For example, for lowerwin-loss ratios, wager outcome reveal instructions 124 may reveal lessdesirable items, while for higher win-loss ratios, wager outcome revealinstructions may reveal more desirable items.

Group Reveal for Pooled Wagers

Optionally, a token, or group of tokens may be shared by a group ofusers. For example, a group of users may pool funds together to purchasea group of one or more tokens. All of the users may have beencontributed equally to the purchase, or different users may havecontributed different amounts to the token purchase. The users mayoptionally play an interactive game together (e.g., a multi-playerinteractive game), wherein award reveals may occur upon certain eventswithin the game, as similarly discussed above. Optionally, the awardreveals may be provided to all the users (or a subset thereof), atsubstantially the same time. Optionally, the distribution of the payoutto users may be proportionate to their share of the contribution inpurchasing the token(s).

Optionally, two or more users may play against each other in anelectronic game and place bets, using tokens, as to who will win, wherethe winner is awarded the tokens (and the associated race winnings)wager by the loser. Optionally, the system determines whether a givenuser has viewed the results of wagers associated with a token byexamining the history of winning reveals for the respective token. Forexample, the winnings may have been revealed to the user during aninteractive game or by the user examining the user's accountinformation. If the user has viewed the results of wagers associatedwith a token, the system may prevent the user from betting that tokenagainst another user in a game, as the user may otherwise unfairly wagera token that the user knows has little or no winnings associated withit.

Optionally, a process may be utilized to enable a wagering outcome to betransmitted and revealed later securely, so that it will be knownwhether the wagering outcome was viewed by the user and/or system.

Securing Real-World Wager Outcomes

For example, a process may be provided enabling a wagering outcome to beencrypted, transmitted and later revealed securely, where an indicationis provided if the outcome had been earlier revealed or inspected. Forexample, this process enables computer system 104 to place wagers, andwithout knowing the wager results, assign the wager results (e.g., inthe form of tokens) to users. This prevents computer system 104 operatorfrom favoring certain users with tokens that are known to be goodtokens, because computer system 104 will not know which tokens are“good” tokens, associated with significant winnings. Further, thisprocess enables a user to initiate a game using a token, and if the userquits the game without computer system 104 revealing the token results,lets the user re-use the token in another game or in a wager withanother user. Thus, certain embodiments enable computer system 104 todetermine if a reveal occurred or not, and to transfer and manipulatetokens, without knowing a wager outcome associated with a token prior tothe outcome being revealed to the user.

By way of illustration, online wagering would benefit from such amechanism to exchange secret information (e.g., wager results associatedwith a token) so that the results cannot be revealed by computer system104 or a user without evidence of their having done so. Further, themechanism provides a reveal timestamp, indicating when the results wererevealed, and record a tamper proof journal entry of the exchange ofinformation.

In an example embodiment, computer system 104 may place wagers (e.g.,random wagers). The wager results, when received, are cryptographicallysealed. The results may be viewed, but the process of viewing creates apermanent record that the viewing has occurred so that the viewer(whether computer system 104 or a user) cannot hide the fact that thewager results were viewed or otherwise revealed.

By way of further example, computer system 104 may request a number ofpreviously settled and securely sealed wagers (tokens) to reveal to auser. Some of the tokens, during game play, are revealed to the user,while others are not. The tokens that are not revealed are “returned” tothe dispensing system. Because there is no indication that the seal was“broken” and the wagers revealed, the dispensing system has confidencethat the “returned” tokens have not been revealed and can dispense themagain later to the user (or optionally another user).

In particular, with reference to a series of tokens in the foregoingexamples, the series of tokens may be the same as an associated seriesof facts (wager outcomes). When a fact is encrypted with an asymmetricor symmetric key it becomes a secret. When it can be established that anentity (e.g., computer system 104, a viewer, a recipient) has access toboth the secret and the key then it can be presumed that the secret hasbeen revealed to the entity.

By way of example, and not limitation, an illustrative process will nowbe described.

Party A (e.g., a wager placing system) places the wagers and knows theoutcomes. A batch of outcomes are selected and shuffled usingcommutative encryption with Party B. The batches may optionally beformed so that each batch is associated with a similar total value ofthe wagers, so that each batch has the same or approximately the samevalue. Neither Party A nor B knows the order of the shuffled, encryptedwager outcomes secrets. Party B (or Party C) (assigner of tokens towagers) additionally applies one or more keys based on one or moresalted hash sequences to further encrypt the secrets in the shuffledorder. Keys may be stored with the encrypted sequences so that secretsneed to be decrypted in shuffled order. At this point, Party A hadknowledge of the outcomes, but cannot decrypt the items in the shuffledorder. Party B or Party C knows the sequence but still does not know theoriginal outcomes.

Individual secrets in the shuffled order can be dispensed to thirdparties which request the keys for secrets they reveal. Once the keysare distributed, computer system 104 may assume the secrets have beenrevealed (whether or not the keys have been actually used to reveal thesecrets.

If Party B or Party C wants to associate tokens with secrets, the tokenscan be stored in a known sequence (with an incrementing identifier, byway of example). The tokens are then defined to be assigned in theshuffled secret order.

Keys may be exchanged and/or recorded using public proof of worknetworks (such as the Bitcoin network, which verifies transactions usingencryption) and linked time stamping, or otherwise.

Optionally, a token may be configured to place wagers in different timeframes and/or in different currencies. For example, for a given token orset of tokens to be used to access an interactive game, computer system104 may place some or all of the bets in different countries, withrespectively different currencies. Because a given token or set oftokens may be associated with wagers placed on a plurality of events(e.g., races), a given wager may be placed on an event (e.g., a race)occurring at a different time than another event corresponding toanother of the wagers.

Optionally, tokens may be used to purchase virtual items in a game, suchas more plays of the game, additional lives, bonus points, land,weapons, powers, etc. Optionally, virtual currency is provided to theuser to make such purchases as a benefit of purchasing a token to bewagered. As noted elsewhere herein, promotional tokens may be providedto the user as a rebate and/or utilizing a portion of the profitsreceived by computer system 104 operator. Thus, the promotion tokens maybe used as a marketing tool enabling the user to make additional wagers.

Exemplary Operation

When the user accesses computer system 104, a user interface may bepresented to the user, enabling the user to select an interactive gamemode or a user wagering mode. For example, in a user wagering mode, theuser may make direct wagering decisions, such as by directly placingbets on sporting events (e.g., selecting tracks, races, horses, wagertypes, wager amounts, etc.) and wherein payouts are not revealed as partof an interactive game, but are instead simply revealed after a race (orraces), corresponding to the user-placed bet, is completed. Optionally,computer system 104 may enable the user to use the same user account andADW account to access and utilize either mode (e.g., for direct wageringand playing interactive games).

When the user is ready to play a game and selects the interactive gamemode, the user may select the interactive game from a plurality ofavailable games via a game menu or otherwise. Games may be presented tothe user in one or more groupings, wherein the groupings may be based atleast in part on how many tokens are needed to play the game. Inaddition or instead, games may be grouped according to game type orother game characteristics (e.g., action games, strategy games, oneperson shooter games, card games, most popular games, newest games,etc.). The amount wagered may correspond to the tokens needed to playthe game.

Optionally, one or more bets are placed at least partly in response to atoken being purchased (e.g., on the next suitable event on which a wagermay be placed). Depending on the availability of sporting events towager on, the user may be informed that the game play will be delayeduntil such an event is completed, to thereby enable the wager to beplaced on the event and the results of the wager to be known.Optionally, one or more bets are placed at least partly in response aninteractive game being initiated by the user.

Depending on the availability of sporting events to wager on when theuser purchases a token, a corresponding wager may not be immediatelyplaced and the initiation of the interactive game with respect to theuser may be optionally correspondingly delayed. For example, if there isno race beginning for 5 minutes (corresponding to 11:35 PM local usertime), computer system 104 may estimate how long it will take tocomplete the race (e.g., 2 minutes after the race starts), and maycalculate the total time until the race is estimated to be over (e.g., 5minutes until the race starts+2 minutes until the race is estimated tobe completed). Computer system 104 may then generate a wait notificationwhich may be provided for display (via a user terminal) to the userindicating when the interactive game will begin, which may correspond toabout the start time of the race and the estimated race duration (e.g.,“your game will start in about 7 minutes, at about 11:37 PM”).Optionally, the interactive game may begin prior to the race or thecompletion of the event, but the results of the wager are not revealedto the user until the completion of the event and after the results ofthe wager are received by computer system 104 (which may be after theuser has completed the interactive game), where the results may berevealed in a delayed fashion as similarly described above. Optionally,the interactive game may begin prior to the race or after the beginning,but prior to the completion of the race, but the wager is not placeduntil one or more specified events occur with respect to the game.Optionally, the user may queue up results for one or more tokens, sothat there will generally be a token whose results are known, and isready for playing.

Optionally, the game may be ended when all the wager results arerevealed to the user during the game. Optionally, when all the wagerresults are revealed to the user during the game, the user may beprompted and enabled to purchase additional tokens which may be wageredand which will enable the user to continue playing the game, without theuser having to start the game over. Optionally, computer system 104 mayenable the user to continue playing the game with no additionaltoken(s)/wager(s) revealed to the user

Optionally, the user may inspect the results of the underlying wager(s)(and/or risk reward event(s)) and view the corresponding payouts withouthaving to play the interactive game (e.g., by accessing a user accountinterface). Optionally, the results of the bets and the winning amounts(if any) are automatically revealed to the user upon the user completingthe corresponding game. Optionally, the user may be able to collect orwithdraw winnings without having to play a game (e.g., via a useraccount information user interface).

Optionally, a user may be awarded tokens as a consolation prize forlosing one or more bets, for playing a certain number of games, forpurchasing a certain number of tokens, for being a registered user for aspecified period of time, randomly, and/or otherwise.

System Databases

In an implementation, database(s) 130 may include a user database thatstores enrollment and other information known about the user, anaccounts database that stores user accounts (e.g., actual user accounts,tracking accounts, etc.) for each user, a wager rules database thatstores rules used to determine wagers, a reveal rules database thatspecifies parameters used to identify when and how to reveal wagers,and/or other databases that includes information obtained by computersystem 104.

Third Party Interactive Media API and Partner API

In an implementation, third party interactive media API 134 may includevarious interfaces such as system calls that provide access to some ofall of the functions described herein that are relevant to third partyinteractive media providers(s) 160. Third party interactive media API134 allows various third party interactive media provider(s) 160 anability to provide reveals (including amounts of reveals to provide,difficulty of objectives that should be used in a reveal, when toprovide reveals, etc.) through their own interactive media, therebyexpanding the reveal platform to include a wide range of interactivemedia publishers.

In an implementation, partner API 136 may include various interfacessuch as system calls that provide access to some of all of the functionsdescribed herein that are relevant to partner promotions provider(s)170. For example, using partner API 136, partner promotions provider(s)170 may provide advertisements, incentives, sample games, and/or othermedia that is being promoted using the platform provided by computersystem 104. For example and without limitation, a reveal may be providedif a user interacts with an advertisement provided by partner promotionsprovider(s) 170.

Wagering Systems

Wagering system(s) 140 may include automated (e.g., electronicallyplaced wagers through network 102 without system operator intervention)and/or manual (e.g., wagers placed using system operators who work onbehalf of an entity operating computer system 104) wagering systems.Such wagering system(s) 140 may be operated by various entities such ashorse tracks, casinos, and/or other wagering systems that lawfully allowwagers to be placed.

Payment Systems

Payment system(s) 150 may include conventional electronic funds transfersystems used for credit card and other payments, ACH systems, onlinepayment systems (e.g., PAYPAL), BITCOIN payment systems/exchanges,and/or other payment systems that facilitating funds transfers.

Third Party Interactive Media Providers

Third party interactive media provider(s) 160 may include, for example,game developers that provide interactive games, video providers thatstream or provide downloadable video content, music providers thatstream or provide downloadable music content, and/or other types ofmedia providers. Third party interactive media provider(s) 160 may usethird party interactive media API 134 to interface with computer system104 to obtain real-world wager outcomes and present the outcomes throughtheir own interactive media platforms. Such third party interactivemedia provider(s) 160 may include game developers, media providers thatstream or provide multimedia downloads, and/or other providers ofinteractive media.

Partner Promotion Providers

Partner promotions provider(s) 170 may include entities that wish topromote an item such as a good or service. Partner promotionsprovider(s) 170 may use computer system 104 to provide promotions, whichmay serve as the basis for a reveal such as an invitation to a user toview an advertisement to receive a reward (even though the reward isbased on an outcome of a real-world wager and not on viewing theadvertisement).

User Devices

User device(s) 180 may include a device that can interact with computersystem 104 through network 102. Such user device(s) may include, withoutlimitation, a tablet computing device, a smartphone, a laptop computingdevice, a desktop computing device, a network-enabled appliance such asa “Smart” television, and/or other device that may interact withcomputer system 104.

Various Implementations of Operations of the Computer System

Having described an overall use and components of computer system 104,additional implementations of various processing operations of computersystem 104 will now be described. The various processing operations thatwill now be described may relate to various implementations ofreal-world wager triggers, selection of real-world wagers, reveals ofthe outcome of real-world wagers, and/or other aspects of computersystem 104. It should be appreciated that the following may be combinedwith one another, as well as with other processing operations describedherein. For example, a particular implementation of a wager trigger maybe used in combination with a particular implementation of a reveal.Other combinations are contemplated as well.

As described with respect to the various implementations that follow,unless specifically specified as triggering “a real-world wager,” thewager triggers can relate either to a real-world wager or to a simulatedwager. A real-world wager trigger (or triggering real-world wagers) maycause a real-world wager to be placed. A simulated wager trigger maycause a simulated wager to be placed (e.g., a simulated wager againstanother player, a virtual pull on a virtual slot machine, acceptance ofan objective to win something of value in a game or other interactivemedia, etc.). In some implementations, a simulated wager may merelyresult in a reveal of an outcome of a real-world wager that has alreadyoccurred before the simulated wager (giving the user the impression thatthe simulated wager resulted in the outcome). In other implementations,a simulated wager may trigger a real-world wager to occur. In theseimplementations, a game or other interactive media may wait for theoutcome of the real-world wager and then provide a reveal of the outcomethrough the game (or other interactive media) so that the outcomeappears to have resulted from the simulated wager.

Timing Aspects of a Real-World Wager

As described herein, a real-world wager may be initiated uponacquisition of a token (e.g., when a user purchases or otherwiseacquires a token), user selection or initiation of interactive media(e.g., selection of a game to play), an occurrence of an event in theinteractive media (e.g., based on a user controlled or other in-gameaction), and/or other events that can trigger the real-world wager.

The initiation of the real-world wager may specify a given real-worldwager to make (e.g., specify a horse race or other event on which toplace the wager, an amount of the wager, a number of wagers to make,etc.) and/or computer system 104 may select the real-world wager basedat least in part on one or more wager rules described herein. In someinstances, the wager event on which the selected real-world wager isplaced may occur in the future. For example, a horse race may beselected, but may not occur until another five minutes. Thus, theoutcome of the horse race may not be known until at least another fiveminutes (plus the time it takes for the horse race to complete and theoutcome to be made available).

In an implementation, computer system 104 may delay the reveal of theoutcome through interactive media provided to the user associated withthe real-world wager until the outcome is known. The delay may beaccomplished in various ways.

If interactive media has not yet been selected by the user associatedwith the real-world wager, computer system 104 may select a particularinteractive medium to provide to the user while waiting for the outcomeof the real-world wager. This may occur, for example, when a userpurchases a token and the token purchase triggers a real-world wager. Ifthe user has not selected interactive media (e.g., a game to play) andan outcome of a real-world wager is not yet available, computer system104 may select and suggest interactive media for the user while waitingfor the outcome of the real-world wager to become available.

The selected interactive media may be used to reveal the outcome whenthe outcome is available. Computer system 104 may select the interactivemedia based on its suitability to delay a reveal opportunity based onwhen the outcome of the real-world wager will become available. Forexample and without limitation, the reveal opportunity may include afinish line in a racing game. The finish line may not be presented tothe user until the wager outcome is known. In the foregoing example, thefinish line may not be presented (or achievable) until at least fiveminutes after the game has been selected (when the outcome of the horserace is known).

In an implementation, the in-game event (or other interactive mediaevent) may be presented to the user based on an estimated time that theoutcome will be available and provide a reveal opportunity based on theestimated time. For example, computer system 104 may estimate that theoutcome of the horse race will be available in five minutes. Computersystem 104 may cause a finish line in the racing game to be achievableafter at least five minutes after starting a race in the racing game. Inthis manner, the manner in which the outcome is revealed may be delayedthrough selection of the interactive media content to present to theuser while awaiting the outcome. When available, the outcome of thereal-world wager may be revealed to the user to give an appearance tothe user that the outcome resulted from the results of the race.

On the other hand, the selected game may be used to occupy the useruntil the outcome is available, at which time a game that is used toreveal the outcome may be presented to the user. In other words, theselected game may not be used to reveal the outcome, but rather to givethe user interactive media content to use while waiting for the outcome.In an implementation, computer system 104 may select the game (or otherinteractive media) based on an estimated time that the outcome will beavailable. For example and without limitation, for longer wait times,computer system 104 may select a more difficult game, a game having agreater number of levels, and/or a game that takes a relatively longtime to play/learn. For shorter wait times, computer system 104 mayselect a less difficult game, a game having a fewer number of levels,and/or a game that takes a relative short time to play/learn.

If interactive media has already been started by the user associatedwith the real-world wager (e.g., when an in-game action triggers thewager), computer system 104 may delay reveal opportunities within theinteractive media. For example, computer system 104 may provide the userwith a new race level that has a finish line based on an estimated timethat the outcome will be available.

In an implementation, if the reveal opportunity is forfeited, then theoutcome of the real-world wager may not be revealed. Instead, theoutcome may be revealed during another reveal opportunity, in which casethe actual user account may not be updated and the tracking account maycontinue to store a value of a payout (or a loss) associated with thereal-world wager (or otherwise one or more accounts associated with theuser will be made to reflect the unrevealed outcome. For example, if theuser exits the racing game before reaching the finish line, the outcomeof the real-world wager may not be revealed.

Triggering Wager Opportunities

In an implementation, computer system 104 may provide a wageropportunity to a user. The wager opportunity may be associated with anobjective (e.g., “get a bulls eye to win five dollars,” “stream awinning video from among various videos to win five dollars,” etc.) thatgives the appearance to the user that the user is wagering on theoutcome of the objective to potentially receive a reward, when, in fact,the reward (or loss) depends on an outcome of a real-world wager.

In an implementation, the wager opportunity, if accepted, may causecomputer system 104 to place an actual real-world wager, on which theaccepted wager opportunity depends. In an implementation, computersystem 104 may pre-associate the wager opportunity with an existingreal-world wager, the outcome of which may or may not already bedecided. The outcome of the pre-existing or newly placed real-worldwager may be revealed using the reveal platform described herein.

Providing such wager opportunities may enhance an entertainment value ofinteractive media because the user may be given an appearance thatinteraction with the interactive media causes the outcome of the wagers.Thus, computer system 104 may trigger wager opportunities at varioustimes and for various reasons to enhance the entertainment value ofinteractive media and/or for other reasons. Having generally describedtriggering wagering opportunities, various implementations of triggeringwagering opportunities will now be described.

Wager Triggers Based on In-Game Actions and Other User Interactions

In an implementation, computer system 104 may provide a wageropportunity based on the occurrence of certain user interactions withinteractive media. Upon the occurrence of a certain user interaction,the user may be provided with an opportunity to place a wager (assumingthat the user has sufficient funds in his/her corresponding actual useraccount). For example, certain in-game actions in a game may be rewardedwith an opportunity to place a wager, thereby enhancing an entertainmentvalue of gameplay.

In a particular example, computer system 104 may provide a “match three”game where an objective is to match three or more items (e.g., gems)that share a similar characteristic (e.g., being the same type of gem).When a user matches four or more gems, computer system 104 may providethe user with a wager opportunity. For example, computer system 104 mayprovide a congratulatory message with an opportunity to place a wager.The wager opportunity may be direct (e.g., “place a wager now”) or maybe indirect (e.g., “match four gems to place a wager”). In animplementation, depending on user preferences, an in-game action mayautomatically trigger a wager. For example, when a user matches four ormore gems, a wager may be placed automatically on behalf of the user.

Computer system 104 may determine one or more wager parameters (e.g.,amount, type, wager event, etc.), whether placed based on anaccomplished objective or automatically placed, based on an input fromthe user (e.g., a user specifying the amount), one or more wager rules,a user profile, and/or other parameter described herein used to selectwagers.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may associate a wageropportunity with a previous wager. For example, computer system 104 maypresent a Solitaire game (or other interactive media) to the user thatrequires five dollars to play (or otherwise access). Upon selection ofthe Solitaire game and payment of five dollars from the user (e.g.,using one or more tokens valued at five dollars), computer system 104may place a first wager in the amount of five dollars and initiate theSolitaire game (either soon after payment or delayed until the outcomeof the first wager is known). The outcome of the first wager may beobtained and revealed as described herein.

While playing the Solitaire game, a “Joker” or other card may berevealed that triggers a wager opportunity that, if accepted by theuser, causes computer system 104 to place a second wager, the outcome ofwhich may be obtained and revealed as described herein. Computer system104 may provide the wager opportunity in association with the firstwager. For example, computer system 104 may invite the user to “doubledown” by paying an additional five dollars (or other amount) to increasethe potential payout of the Solitaire game (but also increase thepotential loss). Upon receipt of payment of the additional five dollars,computer system 104 may place the second wager. Alternatively, if awager event (e.g., a horse race) associated with the first wager isstill available to be wagered upon, computer system 104 may increase theamount of the first wager and/or place another wager on the wager event.In this manner, by paying five dollars to play the Solitaire game, theuser causes computer system 104 to make a wager in the amount of fivedollars. By “doubling down” based on an in-game action, the user causescomputer system 104 to double down on the wager by adding an additionalamount to the wager and/or making a second wager.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may trigger a wageropportunity based on a pattern of interaction with a given interactivemedia. For example, computer system 104 may determine that a user tendsto play a game for longer periods of time during the weekend than theweekday. When the user plays the game during the weekday, computersystem 104 may trigger a wager opportunity to enhance an entertainmentvalue of the game during the weekday. Computer system 104 may triggerwager opportunities based on such patterns differently for differentinteractive media. For example, a given game may prefer to provide awager opportunity when the user is not typically engaged with the gameas determined from the pattern of interaction (to incent the user to bemore engaged), whereas another game may prefer to reward the user with awager opportunity when the user is engaged with the game.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may trigger a wageropportunity based on a lack of interaction with a given interactivemedia for a threshold period of time. For example, if a user has notplayed a given game, streamed a video, etc., within the last two weeks,computer system 104 may provide the user with a wager opportunity thenext time that the user plays the given game, streams a video, etc.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may trigger a wageropportunity based on a level of completion of interactive media beingprovided to the user. For example, computer system 104 may trigger awager opportunity when gameplay of a user is within a predeterminednumber of objectives of completing a level and/or a game, when an amountof remaining content of media content (e.g., video, audio, etc.) isbelow a predetermined threshold, and/or when interactive media isotherwise imminent to end.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may trigger a wageropportunity based on leaderboard positions, movement of positions of theleaderboard, and/or other information related to a leaderboard. Forexample, computer system 104 may reward a user that is at the top (or apredetermined number of rankings from the top) of a leaderboard with awager opportunity, and/or may incent others to remain engaged byproviding a wager opportunity.

Wager Triggers Based on External Information

In an implementation, computer system 104 may trigger a wageropportunity based on external information. The external information mayinclude, without limitation, social profile information, locationinformation, partner-provided information, content consumptioninformation, timing information, and/or other information that may beused to trigger a wager opportunity.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may trigger a wageropportunity based on social profile information, which may include,without limitation, birthdays, status updates, location check-ins,gameplay rankings relative to connected friends, and/or otherinformation that can be gleaned from a user's social profile. In thismanner, computer system 104 may congratulate a user in relation to thesocial profile information (e.g., wishing the user a happy birthday) orotherwise provide a wager opportunity to the user based on the socialprofile information.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may trigger a wageropportunity based on location information, which may indicate a locationof the user. Computer system 104 may obtain the location information viaa user's mobile device (for which identifying information may have beenobtained during user enrollment), a social media check-in, and/or otherlocation technique.

For example and without limitation, computer system 104 may identify apartner promotions provider 170 based on the proximity of the user to aretail location of the partner promotions provider 170. Computer system104 may trigger a wager opportunity that relates to partner promotionsprovider 170. For example, computer system 104 may incent the user topurchase a promoted item from partner promotions provider 170 for achance to win ten dollars.

In another example, computer system 104 may present a wager opportunitybased the location of the user within a jurisdiction that allows certaintypes of real-world wagers to be placed. If the user is detected to bewithin the jurisdiction, a wager opportunity may be provided to theuser.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may trigger a wageropportunity based on partner-provided information, which may include,without limitation, customer purchasing patterns, loyalty programs,and/or other information provided by a partner promotions provider 170.The computer system 104 may use the partner-provided information tocustomize wager opportunities for the user. For example, based on thepurchasing patterns of the user, computer system 104 may determine thatcertain wagering opportunities are more relevant to the user than otherwagering opportunities. Such patterns may be discerned based on ananalysis of other users' purchase patterns in relation to wageringopportunities that were accepted by those users.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may trigger a wageropportunity based on content consumption information. For example,computer system 104 may determine that a user is watching a particularepisode of a particular show using a third party media provider 160. Inan implementation, the wager opportunity may relate to the episode(e.g., wager on an outcome of the episode) and/or the third party mediaprovider that is providing the episode for viewing (e.g., a reward mayinclude a free month of service from the third party mediaprovider—which may or may not be paid for using an outcome of areal-world wager).

In an implementation, computer system 104 may trigger a wageropportunity based on timing information, which may include, withoutlimitation, a date/time that the user is accessing interactive media. Ina particular example, if a user is playing a game at a particular time(e.g., late night), a special wagering opportunity associated with thattime may be provided to the user. The special wagering opportunity, inan implementation, may be available only for users playing a game orinteracting with other media during the particular time. The specialwagering opportunity may provide a benefit (e.g., a guaranteed bonusitem and/or other guaranteed value) that is not available with otherwagering opportunities.

Reveals Based on Multiplayer Interaction

In an implementation, computer system 104 may trigger reveals based onmultiplayer interactions, such as, for example, a player-versus-player(“PvP”) interaction, a tournament interaction, a massively multiplayeronline (“MMO”) interaction, and/or other types of multiplayerinteractions. Regardless of the type of multiplayer interaction,computer system 104 may manage reveals based on an individual user'sunrevealed payout amount (e.g., each user's tracking account). Forexample, for a given user, computer system 104 may use the amount in thegiven user's tracking account to set the maximum amount that a user willbe allowed to “win” from a multiplayer interaction. If a given user hasa ten dollar unrevealed balance in a tracking account, then a maximumamount the user will be able to appear to win may be ten dollars.Similarly, the given user may be limited to a cumulative virtual wagerof no more than ten dollars so that the user cannot appear to win morethan ten dollars from an opponent.

Regardless of the type of multiplayer interaction, computer system 104may provide a game in which two users play against one another. Suchgames can include, for example, card games (e.g., poker), puzzle games,shooter games, and/or other games in which two players may be competeagainst one another. A first player may appear to win a payout and asecond player may appear to lose a payout (e.g., apparently resultingfrom the competition). In fact, the “won” payout may be transferred fromthe first player's tracking account to the first player's actual useraccount and the “lost” payout may be added to the second user's trackingaccount and deducted from the second user's actual account. In thismanner, the first user is given the impression of having won the payout(e.g., taken the payout from the second user) and the second user isgiven the impression of having lost the payout (e.g., to the firstplayer) even though the second player really hasn't lost the payout.Later, the “lost” payout will be revealed to the second user duringanother reveal opportunity in order to transfer back the lost payoutfrom the second user's tracking account to the second user's actual useraccount.

Other types of multiplayer games (including two or more players) otherthan head-to-head may use similar mechanics to drive apparent wins andlosses between players.

Wager Triggers Based on Promotions

In an implementation, computer system 104 may trigger a wageropportunity based on a promotion from partner promotions provider 170.For example, partner promotions provider 170 may provide anadvertisement (e.g., an online or mobile advertisement) to be displayedto the user. The advertisement may be wager-enabled such that computersystem 104 triggers a wager opportunity when the user interacts with theadvertisement. For example and without limitation, the advertisement mayinclude a mini-game that when played causes a wager opportunity to betriggered (which may relate to the mini-game and/or other interactivemedia as described herein), a call-to-action (e.g., a clickable link, afillable form field, etc.) that when responded to by the user triggersthe wager opportunity, and/or other content that when interacted withtriggers a wager opportunity.

It should be understood that the advertisement may (but need not) beserved by computer system 104. For example, computer system 104 mayserve advertisement to the user while the user is interacting with anwagering interface or interactive media provided by computer system 104.In other examples, computer system 104 may provide the advertisement tothird party interactive media providers 160 that display theadvertisement on their own games (for example). In yet other examples,computer system 104 may provide the advertisement to website operatorsthat distribute the advertisement on their own websites or other media.

When the advertisement is provided to third party interactive mediaproviders 160 or others, computer system 104 may embed a link or othercall-back to computer system 104 such that computer system 104 mayimmediately trigger a wager opportunity to the user (e.g., via a popupwindow) responsive to user interaction with the advertisement and/or logthe interaction with the advertisement such that the user is providedwith a wager opportunity related to the advertisement the next time thatthe user logs onto computer system 104. For example, the advertisementmay include a link that points to a Uniform Resource Locator (“URL”)associated with computer system 104. The link may cause a separatebrowser window to be opened that includes a user interface provided bycomputer system 104. The link may include user identificationinformation that identifies the user and/or the user interface mayprompt the user to login to computer system 104. The user interface maypresent a wager opportunity to the user upon identification and/orauthentication of the user.

In an implementation, the wager opportunity may be related to theadvertisement. For example, the advertisement may promote an online itemthat if purchased qualifies the user to win a reward, a winner of whichmay be randomly selected from a pool of users that purchased the item.

Reveal Categories

In an implementation, computer system 104 may reveal an outcome of areal-world wager. The real-world wager may have been initiated andselected as described herein. Computer system 104 may obtain an outcomeof the real-world wager and update a tracking account of a user. Thetracking account may store an indication of the outcome (e.g., an amountof a payout or a loss). Computer system 104 may select an appropriatetime and/or interactive media to reveal the outcome of the real-worldwager through user interactions with interactive media so that the usermay perceive that the outcome resulted from the user interactions.

For example, a payout in the amount of ten dollars may have resultedfrom a real-world wager that was placed by computer system 104 on behalfof the user. A tracking account of a user may be incremented by tendollars until the ten dollar payout has been revealed to the user. Thereveal may occur in various ways.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may reveal an outcome of asingle real-world wager through a single reveal. For example, a payoutmay be revealed based on an occurrence of a single event such as,without limitation, turning over a specific card, opening a chest in agame to reveal the payout, matching three gems in a match-three game,having viewed a video at a particular time (e.g., having viewed thevideo until the three minute mark), and/or other single events that canoccur in interactive media. In each of the foregoing examples, thepayout from the real-world wager may appear to the user to have resultedfrom the event (e.g., turning over the specific card), when, in fact,the payout resulted from winning the real-world wager.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may reveal an outcome of asingle real-world wager through multiple reveals. For example, a payoutmay be revealed through several different events in interactive media.The payout may be split into increments and revealed over several eventsthat can occur in interactive media (such as those described above withrespect to single events). Each of the increments may be the same valueas other increments (e.g., five two dollar payouts to reveal a tendollar payout) or different value (e.g., a one dollar payout and a ninedollar payout to reveal a ten dollar payout).

In some instances, each increment may be separately revealed/“won.” Forexample, turning over a particular card will reveal two of a ten dollarpayout. In other instances, all of the increments may be revealed in anall-or-none fashion such that all events is required before the totalpayout. For example, the user may be required to perform five tasks inorder to have the ten dollar reveal provided such that the failure ofeither one of the five tasks will not result in a reveal of the tendollar payout. In the foregoing example, the ten dollar payout may notbe revealed and may be maintained in the user's tracking account.

Escalating Reveals

In an implementation, computer system 104 may reveal a single outcomeusing a reveal staircase, in which the outcome is split into differentincrements each having a different value. In an implementation, thedifferent increments may be revealed randomly or in order of theirvalue. For example, a ten dollar payout may be revealed using four fiftycent reveals, three one dollar reveals, one two dollar reveal, and onethree dollar reveal. Each of the foregoing increments may be revealedrandomly or in a manner that increases (or decreases). In a particularexample, as a user progresses to higher game levels, the four fifty centreveals may occur before the three one dollar reveals, and so forth. Inthis manner, as the game progresses to higher levels (or a video isplayed longer), an amount of the payout that is revealed may increase.

In another example, a series of reveals may escalate in value as userinteraction with the interactive media progresses. For example, anescalating reveal may build from zero dollars to the total payout duringgameplay, such as in a racing game where the user's winnings escalate aslong as they stay ahead of their opponent. Other types of escalatingreveals may be used as well, such as increasing winnings as new gamelevels are achieved.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may reveal an outcome usingbracketed reveals. Reveals of different values may be locked into aspecific escalating platform. For example, a reveal of a ten dollarpayout (from a real-world wager) may be structured as following: “beatone enemy: win one dollar, beat two enemies: win four dollars, beatthree enemies: win ten dollars.” In the foregoing example, if the userbeats only one enemy then only one dollar will be revealed and obtainedby the user (e.g., credited to the user's actual user account and theremaining nine dollars of the ten dollar payout may be retained in thetracking account). If the user beats three enemies, then the entire tendollar payout may be revealed and obtained (e.g., ten dollars creditedto the actual user account and decremented from the tracking account).The escalating platform need not be consecutively numbered. For example,the reveal may be structured as: “beat one enemy: win one dollar, beatthree enemies: win four dollars, beat five enemies: win ten dollars.”Other types of bracketed reveals may be used in other contexts as well(e.g., “view one video win one dollar, view two videos win threedollars,” and so on).

Reveal Categories—Initial Reveal/Skill-Based Player Action Required toClaim

In an implementation, computer system 104 may reveal an outcome of areal-world wager through a skill-based action that is required to claima value of the reveal. For example, a user may be required to perform askill-based action in order to claim the ten dollar payout. Theskill-based action may include, without limitation, as hitting a target,defeating an enemy, winning a race, and/or other action that is notcompletely dependent on chance for the user to win. If the user fails toperform the skill-based action, the payout may not be provided to theuser (e.g., not added to an actual user account, but instead maintainedin a tracking account). In an implementation, the reveal associated witha skill-based action may include only payouts such that the user isguaranteed to be able to claim a payout upon successful completion ofthe skill-based action.

Reveal Categories—Reveal Abeyance

In an implementation, computer system 104 may withhold a payout if oneor more reveal parameters are not satisfied. A reveal parameter mayspecify that a minimum level of performance of an objective must beachieved for a reveal to occur. The objective may include any objectivedescribed herein, including, for example, an amount of winnings in agame, a number of points in a game, a number of enemies defeated in agame, a length of a video viewed, a number of promotions redeemed, anumber of advertisements viewed, etc.

If the minimum level of performance is achieved, then the user may berevealed at least a portion of the payout. On the other hand, if theminimum level of performance is not achieved, then no portion of thepayout will be revealed. If no portion of the payout is revealed, thenthe unrevealed portion will remain in an unrevealed balance associatedwith the user. The unrevealed balance may be used to maintain a value ofpayouts that have not yet been revealed to the user (and, when revealed,appears to the user that the user has won the revealed payout). In thismanner, computer system 104 may reveal at least a portion of the payoutdepending on whether a minimum threshold of performance (which may bepredefined for an individual game or other interactive media) isachieved.

For example, a user's winnings in a game must exceed a thresholdpercentage (e.g., twenty-five percent) of an initial virtual wager orelse an entire value of the reveal will be lost. For example, if a useruses a one dollar token to play a game, then the user's winnings in thegame must exceed twenty five cents or else an entire value of the revealwill be lost. The value of the reveal may be a payout of a real-worldwager that was placed by computer system 104 in association with the onedollar token that the user used to play the game. If the user's winningsin the game do not exceed twenty five cents (or equivalent value) in theforegoing example, then the entire reveal is lost and the payout will beretained in the unrevealed balance. In an implementation, if the user'swinnings exceed a threshold percentage of an original wager, then atleast a portion of the winnings may be held over in abeyance. Forexample, if a user's winnings exceed 200 percent of an original wager,then 25 percent of the winnings may be held over.

Reveal Categories—Unreveals

In an implementation, computer system 104 reveal a payout, and then“unreveal” the payout (i.e., take the payout away). Such reveal andunreveal may be based on user interactions with interactive media. Forexample, upon completion of an objective, a payout may be revealed tothe user. Upon a subsequent event (which may or may not relate to theobjective), the payout may be unrevealed. In a particular example, in acapture-the-flag-style game, in which a user must grab an opponent'sflag and return the flag to their own home base, the user may grab anopponent flag in the game, at which point computer system 104 causes areveal of a ten dollar payout (which actually resulted from a real-worldwager). The user may be given the impression that grabbing the opponentflag led to the ten dollar payout.

While returning back to the user's home base, another player mayrecapture the flag, resulting in the payout being unrevealed. Had theuser successfully returned the flag to the home base, the payout wouldhave been claimed such that the payout is credited to the actual useraccount (and decremented from the tracking account). Instead, becausethe flag was not returned to the home base, the payout is unrevealed andremains in the tracking account, giving the user an impression that theten dollar payout was gained and then lost. In reality, the ten dollarpayout remains in the tracking account for another reveal opportunity.In an implementation, all or a portion of the revealed payout may beunrevealed as described herein.

In an implementation possession of the payout may be graphicallyrepresented. For example, if the user grabs the flag, then a graphicalrepresentation of a bag of cash may be displayed in the game andapparently carried by the user's game character. When an unrevealoccurs, then the bag of cash may be removed from the game character'spossession (e.g., appear to be carried by the opposing player).

Reveal Categories—Mirage Reveals

In an implementation, computer system 104 may provide mirage revealsthat give an appearance to the user that an objective may be achieved toobtain a reward. However, the objective may not be achievable, therebyguaranteeing a loss. For example, if a user uses a one dollar token toplay a game and the token is associated with a real-world wager that hada losing outcome, then computer system 104 may present an objective tothe user that, if attempted and accomplished results in a payout, but ifattempted and failed results in a loss. In this manner, the user isgiven an impression that the payout is achievable, when, in fact, theobjective is guaranteed to fail, thereby providing a mirage reveal of apayout (that doesn't exist).

In an implementation, the objective associated with the mirage revealmay appear to be a skill-based challenge such that a user is given theimpression that skillful attempts at the objective would lead to apayout. In this implementation, computer system 104 may skew a user'sinput to lead to failure (e.g., adjust a user input that is on-target toone that is off-target), ignore a user's input, provide an objectivethat is impossible to complete, and/or otherwise cause an attempt tocomplete the objective to fail.

In an implementation, the objective associated with the mirage revealmay appear to be a random event. For example, the objective may be tospin a virtual wheel, roll virtual dice, guess a number that is torandomly selected, and/or other random event. In this manner, the usermay be given the impression that a randomly generated event may lead toa win, when, in fact, the event is not random and is guaranteed to fail.

Other types of objectives that appear to be achievable but be controlledto be guaranteed to fail may be used for mirage reveals as well.

Reveal Categories

In an implementation, computer system 104 may provide guaranteed revealsthat may guarantee a payout. For example, computer system 104 may informthe user that the user will have a guaranteed win if the user plays agame (e.g., selects and plays a game), attempts a next level (e.g.,attempts a new race in a racing game). The guaranteed win amount may beset as a function of an initial virtual wager. For example, computersystem 104 may determine a payout for a given interactive media based onits cost of entry, such as a particular value of a token required toplay a game. Computer system 104 may adjust the cost of entry to arriveat the guaranteed win. Such adjustments may include a multiplier, apercentage, and/or other adjustment that may be made to a value. Forexample, if the adjustment is twenty-five percent and the cost to play agame is two dollar token, then the guaranteed win may be fifty cents orequivalent value (e.g., value in other tokens, credits, in-game items,etc.).

In an implementation, computer system 104 may provide reveals that aretied to promotions from partner promotions provider 170. For example,computer system 104 may provide the user with an opportunity to play agame that costs two dollars. Upon achieving some objective in the game,the user may win (or appear to win) more than two dollars, which may bededucted from the user's tracking account and added to the user's actualuser account. Upon failing the objective, the user may be provided witha coupon in the amount of two dollars (or other amount) that can beredeemed for a real purchase from partner promotions provider 170. Inthis manner, the user may be presented with a win-win type of virtualwager and reveal, while partner promotions provider 170 may providepromotions via computer system 104.

No Wager Reveals

In an implementation, computer system 104 may provide mock reveals thatare not driven by wagering mechanics. For example, computer system 104may provide reveals that are tied to promotions provided by partnerpromotions provider 170, virtual items (e.g., certain in-game items)that computer system 104 is promoting to sold, and/or other item that isnot tied to a real-world wager or a virtual wager. Computer system 104may provide such mock reveals to facilitate promotional campaigns,retain users, and/or otherwise make the gaming experience more enjoyablefor the user. The mock reveals may be triggered by user interactionswith interactive media (e.g., in-game action such as a user finding arare item in a game), events that occur in interactive media withoutuser intervention (e.g., actions of other players, AI players, etc.),and/or other events that may be used to provide mock reveals.

Reveal Categories—Timed Reveals/Reveal Decay

In an implementation, computer system 104 may provide a time-conditionedreveal such that a certain action must be performed to claim a potentialpayout. For example, computer system 104 may reveal a potential payoutof ten dollars (e.g., through one or more reveal mechanisms describedherein), subject to the user action to claim the payout. In a particularexample, a user may have accomplished a first task to win a potentialpayout. Computer system 104 may inform the user that an action such ascrossing a finish line in a race, completing a puzzle, beat an opponentin a virtual fight, etc., must be accomplished to claim the payout. Ifthe user performs the action, then the payout is claimed in time andcomputer system 104 transfers the payout amount from the user's trackingaccount to the user's actual user account. If the user does not performthe action, then the payout is not claimed in time (and in effectexpires) and computer system 104 retains the payout amount in the user'stracking account, giving an appearance that the user won but failed toclaim the payout.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may provide a reveal decay. Aswith the time-conditioned reveal, computer system 104 may reveal apotential payout such as ten dollars, subject to the user action toclaim the payout. The user may be given an opportunity to complete anaction such that the longer it takes to complete the action, the payoutamount decreases to zero. The rate of decay of the payout (e.g., payoutdecreases as the time it takes the user to complete the action) may bepredefined, based on the amount of the payout (e.g., faster decay forlarger payouts than for smaller payouts), based on the amount of theinitial virtual or real-world wager, based on the nature/difficulty ofthe action, and/or other information that can be used to adjust the rateof decay. Any amount of the payout that is decayed (e.g., not claimed)may be retained in the user's tracking account and any amount of thepayout that is claimed may be transferred from the user's trackingaccount to the user's actual user account.

Invitations

In an implementation, computer system 104 may provide an invitation toparticipate in a reveal opportunity. For example, if a user's trackingaccount has a value associated with one or more payouts (e.g., tendollars resulting from one or more payouts of one or more real-worldwagers) that have not yet been revealed, computer system 104 may invitethe user to participate in one or more reveal opportunities to claim aportion or all of the one or more payouts. For example, computer system104 may invite the user to play a specific game (e.g., “play this gameto claim five dollars”), interact with other interactive media (e.g.,“watch a video to win ten dollars”), face off against one or more otherplayers (e.g., “challenge another player to win two dollars”), engage insome other objective, and/or otherwise accept an opportunity to revealat least a portion of a payout that has not yet been revealed.

Acceptance of the invitation by the user may guarantee the reveal (e.g.,allow the user to claim the payout associated with the reveal such thatthe payout amount is transferred from the user's tracking account to theuser's actual user account) and/or be conditioned upon achieving anobjective related to the reveal. For example, computer system 104 mayprovide the reveal to the user upon acceptance (e.g., playing a game orwatching a video) and/or may determine whether an objective has beenaccomplished by the user (e.g., win a level in a played game or watch avideo for a certain period of time) before providing the reveal.

In an implementation, the user may be invited to challenge anotherplayer in a player-versus-player mode or other competitive mode in whichtwo or more players compete against one another. The winner may beprovided with a reveal of a payout from each of their respectivetracking accounts. The winner may appear to have gained a payout frombeating the loser, when, in fact, the payout resulted from a real-worldwager. The loser may have appeared to lost an opportunity to win thepayout, when, in fact, the payout remains unrevealed (and retained inthe loser's tracking account).

In an implementation, computer system 104 may invite the challengedplayer to accept the challenge from the user. If the challenged playerhas a positive balance in his/her tracking account, then computer system104 may reveal a payout associated with the challenged player if thechallenged player accepts the challenge (e.g., computer system 104 maycommunicate to the challenged player “accept the challenge and win twodollars”). The two dollar reward may appear to have resulted from theaccepted challenge, when, in fact, the two dollar reward is a portion orall of a payout that resulted from a real-world wager placed on behalfof the challenged player.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may impose an apparent penaltyon the challenged player if the challenge is not accepted. For example,computer system 104 may deduct an amount from the challenged player'sactual user account, but add the deducted amount to the challengedplayer's tracking account. In this manner, the challenged player mayappear to be penalized if the challenge is not accepted. Upon acceptanceof the challenge by the challenged player, computer system 104 mayprovide the challenged player with a reveal of a payout if the challengeis won by the challenged player.

In an implementation, upon reveal of a payout, computer system 104 maypresent a related reveal opportunity. For example, if a user completesan objective related to a first reveal and claims a first payout, theuser may be presented with an opportunity to double the first payout ortake nothing in a “double or nothing” manner. For example, the user mayappear to have won five dollars based on an in-game action (when in factthe five dollars resulted from a real-world wager). Computer system 104may offer the user a double or nothing opportunity related to a secondopportunity that, if accepted (and, in some cases, requirements of theopportunity—e.g., win a level—completed), may result in an additionalfive dollar win. On the other hand, if the user accepts and fails anyobjective related to the second opportunity, computer system 104 mayremove the first payout (and retain the first payout in the trackingaccount or transfer back the first payout to the tracking account).

In an implementation, such double or nothing opportunities may bepredicated on the user having sufficient value in his/her trackingaccount. For example, in the foregoing five dollar double or nothingopportunity, the tracking account associated with the user may berequired to have ten or more dollars of value. In an implementation, ifthe user does not have sufficient funds to cover a double or nothing win(e.g., has eight dollars in the tracking account), then the user maystill be offered the double or nothing opportunity, but be guaranteed tolose the double or nothing opportunity (because the user's trackingaccount value of eight dollars would not cover a ten dollar reveal).

In an implementation, computer system 104 may provide an invitation toparticipate in a reveal opportunity based on external triggers such as,for example, content, geolocational data, player behavior, partnerpromotions, and/or other types of reveal triggers described herein.

Data Driven Reveal

In an implementation, computer system 104 may determine an amount of thereveal based on various factors such as, without limitation, totalavailable winnings in a user's tracking account, player lifetime handle,player gameplay patterns, percentage of available winnings versus aninitiating wager, current position (e.g., rank, score, etc.) onestimated player lifetime, game being played, etc. Reveals may bedesigned using all available data related to the user to craft the bestpossible experience for the user.

For example, computer system 104 may provide all or a portion of theavailable winnings in a user's tracking account using a single revealbased on any of the foregoing data. In particular, to incent a user whohas not accessed the game platform of computer system 104 within thelast two weeks, the user may be presented with an opportunity to revealall of the winnings available in that user's tracking account. In thismanner, a user whose interest in the gaming platform may be waning maybe presented with the largest possible payout for that user to providemore excitement for the user.

Brutal Reveal

In an implementation, computer system 104 may a reveal a payout as acash reward (e.g., “defeat an enemy in a game and win two dollars”), anin-game reward (e.g., “defeat an enemy in a game and win a thermitebomb”), a multimedia reward (e.g., “defeat an enemy in a game and wintwo music downloads”), and/or other value. The revealed item may have avalue that is equivalent to the payout amount. For example, the thermitebomb may ordinarily be purchased for two dollars. Alternatively, therevealed item may have a value that is higher than the payout amount,even though only the payout amount is used to acquire the item. Forexample, two music downloads may ordinarily be purchased for more thantwo dollars, but a payout in the amount of two dollars (an amount of apayout) may be used to pay for the two music downloads. In other words,a two dollar payout may be decremented from the tracking account and thetwo dollar payout may be used to pay for the item.

When an item other than cash is revealed as a payout, computer system104 may select the item to be revealed based on a random selection fromamong a pool of items, a promotion related to the item (e.g., virtualitems that may be “on sale” for a given game), a gameplay history of theuser (e.g., an item that the user has paid for or otherwise may beinterested in), a strategic item that may be useful based on currentgameplay (e.g., particular type of virtual weapon to be used against anopponent during a current battle, a particular hint during a word game,etc.), a cosmetic item designed to distract an opponent (e.g., ahigh-pitched dancing marmoset that will cavort on screen during anopponent's turn to annoy the opponent), a temporary action on a user'sprofile (e.g., defacing a profile picture), and/or other informationthat may be used to select an item to offer as a reveal of a payout.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may provide a selectable listof items to claim as a payout, including a cash payout and one or moreof the items other than cash described in the foregoing examples.Computer system 104 may select items to include in the selectable listas described with respect to selecting an item to reveal. For example,the items on the selectable list may be included based on a randomselection, gameplay history, strategic items based on current gameplay,cosmetic items, a temporary action, and/or other information. In thismanner, the user may select from among different payout options.

In the foregoing implementations and examples, by providing items otherthan cash as a payout option, computer system 104 may promote thoseitems for “sale” that may be accepted by the user in lieu of an actualcash payout. If a given item is accepted as a payout instead of cash,computer system 104 may deduct the cash value of the payout from theuser's tracking account and retain the cash value as payment for theitem (as if the user had purchased the item with real currency).

Win-Win Reveals

In an implementation, computer system 104 may enhance a perceived valueof a payout by providing one or more companion items. For example,computer system 104 may augment a two dollar payout with one or morecompanion items as a bonus. Such companion prizes may include, withoutlimitation, virtual currency, virtual items, in-game power-ups, newcontent, sponsored partner prizes such as gift cards or discounts, etc.The bonus may be communicated to the user before a virtual wager. Forexample, computer system 104 may invite the user to attempt an objectivefor a chance to win two dollars and an in-game item (or a multimediadownload, etc.). On the other hand, the bonus may be made a surprise.For example, computer system 104 may invite the user to attempt anobjective for a chance to win two dollars. Upon completion of theobjective, computer system 104 may communicate a congratulatory messagethat the user has won two dollars and a bonus item. In animplementation, the bonus may include a cash bonus that is awarded tothe user as a surprise. In this implementation, the user's trackingaccount must be able to cover the original payout and the bonus amount.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may provide a consolation itemin the event that a user fails to complete an objective. The consolationitem may include, without limitation, virtual currency, virtual items,in-game power-ups, new content, sponsored partner prizes such as giftcards or discounts, etc.

Computer system 104 may select a bonus item and/or a consolation item asdescribed with respect to selecting an item to reveal. For example, thebonus item and/or the consolation item may be selected based on a randomselection, gameplay history, strategic items based on current gameplay,cosmetic items, a temporary action, and/or other information.

Geolocation Reveals

In an implementation, computer system 104 may determine a user'sphysical location and provide custom reveal opportunities and/or revealsbased on the user's physical location. Computer system 104 may determinethe physical location based on location information from a user's device(e.g., GPS information), a social check-in, and/or other locationtechniques. The reveal opportunity and/or reveal may be made before,during, and/or after user interaction with interactive media.

Computer system 104 may associate certain reveal locations (e.g., acity, a zip code, a particular retailer, etc.) with a reveal triggersuch that when a user enters, is determined to be at, and/or leaves areveal location (as determined from the user's physical location), areveal opportunity may be presented to the user. For example, computersystem 104 may invite the user to make a purchase at a nearby partnerretailer for a chance to win a payout or be guaranteed to win a payout.In another example, computer system 104 may provide an opportunity towin or otherwise obtain a particular payout (e.g., via cash, item, etc.)when a user enters a particular city.

Likewise, computer system 104 may associate certain reveal locations(e.g., a city, a zip code, a particular retailer, etc.) with a revealitem such that when a user enters, is determined to be at, and/or leavesa reveal location (as determined from the user's physical location), areveal item may be revealed to the user. For example, computer system104 may reveal a particular in-game item (which may have a cash value ofa payout that resulted from a real-world wager) when the user is atcertain physical locations. Alternatively or additionally, computersystem 104 may reveal certain cash amounts based on a user's location.For example, a first location may be associated with a reveal of a firstamount of cash winnings while a second location may be associated with areveal of a second amount of cash winnings. In this manner, computersystem 104 may provide reveals that are specific to a given location.

Monetization Methods

In an implementation, an operator of computer system 104 may monetizethe interactive media and wagering platform described herein andmaintain a system account to obtain the funds from various entities,such as users, third party interactive media provider(s) 160, partnerpromotions provider(s) 170, and/or others.

In an implementation, an operator of computer system 104 may monetizethe interactive media and wagering platform described herein bycollecting fees related to the sale/use of tokens. The fees may be fixedor be a percentage of a token's value. For example, the operator ofcomputer system 104 may collect a certain percentage of value of a tokenwhen the token is purchased and/or used by a user.

In an implementation, an operator of computer system 104 may monetizethe interactive media and wagering platform described herein bycollecting fees in relation to use of interactive media. For example, anoperator of computer system 104 may collect all or a portion of in-gameitem sales based on games developed in-house and/or by third partyinteractive media provider(s) 160. When a user purchases an in-game itemusing a token (which may be associated with a payout amount from areal-world wager), for example, the operator of computer system 104 maycollect the entire purchase price (e.g., if the game is developedin-house) or at least a fixed fee or a percentage of the purchase pricefrom third party interactive media provider(s) 160, such as a thirdparty game publisher.

In an implementation, an operator of computer system 104 may monetizethe interactive media and wagering platform described herein bycollecting fees from a third party interactive media provider 160 eachtime that a game or other interactive media provided by the third partyinteractive media provider 160 is promoted to users. For example,computer system 104 may agree to incentivize a user to play a game fromthird party interactive media provider 160, in exchange for a fee fromthird party interactive media provider 160.

In an implementation, an operator of computer system 104 may agree toprovide larger or more frequent reveals for certain games than others inexchange for a fee from third party interactive media provider 160. Forexample, a user who has a large unrevealed payout (resulting from areal-world wager) may be steered to play a given game provided by thirdparty interactive media provider 160. In another example, computersystem 104 may provide reveals with a greater frequency in a given gamethan for other games. By doing so, upon reveal of the large payout orfrequent payouts to the user playing the given game, the user mayassociate the payouts with the given game itself, increasing the game'sgoodwill with respect to that user. In exchange for such favorablereveals directed to the game, the operator of computer system 104 maycollect a fee from a publisher of the given game.

In an implementation, an operator of computer system 104 may agree tointegrate promotions (e.g., advertisements, promoted content such asgames, videos, etc.) in exchange for a fee from partner promotionsprovider(s) 170. The fee may relate to providing the promotions usingthe interactive media platform. In an implementation, the fee may relateto providing a reveal in relation to the promotion to incent the user tointeract with the promotion. For example, an operator of computer system104 may charge a fee to partner promotions provider(s) 170 for invitingthe user to click an advertisement for a reveal opportunity.

It should be appreciated that although the various instructions areillustrated in FIG. 1 as being co-located within a single computingdevice 110, one or more instructions may be executed remotely from theother instructions. For example, some computing devices 110 of computersystem 104 may be programmed by some instructions while other computingdevices 110 may be programmed by other instructions, as would beappreciated. Furthermore, the various instructions described herein areexemplary only. Other configurations and numbers of instructions may beused, so long as the processor(s) 112 are programmed to perform thefunctions described herein.

Other monetization methods may be used as well. Furthermore, for eachmonetization technique, computer system 104 may be programmed (e.g., byaccount manager instructions 121) to keep track of credits due to theoperator of computer system 104, transfer funds from a payor related tothe monetization methods, and/or perform other functions related tomonetizing the interactive media and wagering platform provided bycomputer system 104.

Certain implementations described herein relate to gaming, includingonline gambling. Certain embodiments described herein enable betting tobe performed by a user with respect to one or more events (e.g., whereinthe betting results are revealed to the user (optionally in a timedelayed manner) based at least in part on the user's game play withrespect to an interactive game (e.g., an online interactive electronicgame)). By way of example and not limitation, the event may be asporting event, a lottery, stock market activity, a political race, orother form of risk resolution that provides a return against an amountwagered. The interactive game, by way of example and not limitation, mayinvolve physical coordination, social interaction, problem solving oranother activity unrelated to the underlying event being wagered on.Further, the actual selection of events (e.g., races and competitors,stocks, etc.) to wager on may optionally be automatically selected,without requiring the user to perform manual selections. Certainembodiments thereby enable new games to be synthesized from existinggames and wagerable events (such as a sporting event). Thus, fun andexciting interactive games may be provided, with cash payouts funded byresults from wagers on one or more forms of gambling.

The description of the functionality provided by the differentinstructions described herein is for illustrative purposes, and is notintended to be limiting, as any of instructions may provide more or lessfunctionality than is described. For example, one or more of theinstructions may be eliminated, and some or all of its functionality maybe provided by other ones of the instructions. As another example,processor(s) 112 may be programmed by one or more additionalinstructions that may perform some or all of the functionalityattributed herein to one of the instructions.

The various instructions described herein may be stored in a storagedevice 114, which may comprise random access memory (RAM), read onlymemory (ROM), and/or other memory. The storage device may store thecomputer program instructions (e.g., the aforementioned instructions) tobe executed by processor(s) 112 as well as data that may be manipulatedby processor(s) 112. The storage device may comprise floppy disks, harddisks, optical disks, tapes, or other storage media for storingcomputer-executable instructions and/or data.

The various components illustrated in FIG. 1 may be coupled to at leastone other component via a network, which may include any one or more of,for instance, the Internet, an intranet, a PAN (Personal Area Network),a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), a SAN (StorageArea Network), a MAN (Metropolitan Area Network), a wireless network, acellular communications network, a Public Switched Telephone Network,and/or other network. In FIG. 1 and other drawing Figures, differentnumbers of entities than depicted may be used. Furthermore, according tovarious implementations, the components described herein may beimplemented in hardware and/or software that configure hardware.

The various databases 130 described herein may be, include, or interfaceto, for example, an Oracle™ relational database sold commercially byOracle Corporation. Other databases, such as Informix™, DB2 (Database 2)or other data storage, including file-based (e.g., comma or tabseparated files), or query formats, platforms, or resources such as OLAP(On Line Analytical Processing), SQL (Structured Query Language), a SAN(storage area network), Microsoft Access™, MySQL, PostgreSQL, HSpace,Apache Cassandra, MongoDB, Apache CouchDB™, or others may also be used,incorporated, or accessed. The database may comprise one or more suchdatabases that reside in one or more physical devices and in one or morephysical locations. The database may store a plurality of types of dataand/or files and associated data or file descriptions, administrativeinformation, or any other data. The database(s) 130 may be stored instorage device 114 and/or other storage that is accessible to computersystem 104.

FIG. 2 illustrates a data flow diagram in a system of revealingreal-world wager outcomes based on user interactions with interactivemedia, according to an implementation of the invention. The variousprocessing operations and/or data flows depicted in FIG. 2 (and in theother drawing figures such as FIGS. 3-7) are described in greater detailherein. The described operations may be accomplished using some or allof the system components described in detail above and, in someimplementations, various operations may be performed in differentsequences and various operations may be omitted. Additional operationsmay be performed along with some or all of the operations shown in thedepicted flow diagrams. One or more operations may be performedsimultaneously. Accordingly, the operations as illustrated (anddescribed in greater detail below) are exemplary by nature and, as such,should not be viewed as limiting.

In an operation 202, enrollment instructions 120 may enroll a user touse the computer system. For example, the user may use user device 180to provide user information that is used and stored by the computersystem to facilitate the functions described herein. Once enrolled, auser profile and user account may be established for the user. The userprofile may include risk tolerance information that indicates a level ofrisk that the user is willing to accept when placing real-world wagers.The user account may include one or more user accounts that indicate avalue of tokens, real currency, items, etc. that the user may use.

In an operation 204, account manager instructions 121 may fund a useraccount based on payment information provided by the user. For example,a user may add an amount of real currency (e.g., cause funds to betransferred from a payment account) to a user account, which may be usedto purchase one or more tokens. In an operation 206, account managerinstructions 121 may update the user account to indicate the added realcurrency and/or the purchased token such that either or both areavailable for use to access one or more of the functions provided by thecomputer system.

In an operation 208, wager U/I instructions 122 may receive a userspecified wager specification that includes parameters to place areal-world wager the user would like to make. The wager specificationmay include an event, an outcome, an amount to wager, and/or otherinformation used to place one or more real-world wagers.

In an operation 210, wager processing instructions 123 may receive awager trigger, which causes a wager to be placed. The wager trigger mayinclude a token purchase (illustrated as operation 210A), a userinitiation through wager U/I instructions 122 (illustrated as operation210B), a user interaction with interactive media interface 134 (notillustrated in FIG. 2), and/or other initiation.

In an operation 212, wager processing instructions 123 may obtain a userprofile associated with the user. The user profile may indicate a risktolerance associated with the user. In an operation 214, wagerprocessing instructions 123 may determine and place a wager withwagering system(s) 140. For example, wager processing instructions 123may determine a number of wagers to place, an event on which to placethe real-world wager, an outcome of the event, an amount of thereal-world wager, and/or other parameter of the real-world wager basedon the user profile. Alternatively or additionally, wager processinginstructions 123 may use the real-world wager specification specified bythe user (if any). In an operation 216, wager processing instructions123 may update the user account based on the amount of the real-worldwager.

In an operation 218, an outcome of the real-world wager may be received.For example, wager processing instructions 123 may receive the outcomefrom wagering system(s) 140 (and/or other source of the outcome of theevent on which the wager was placed). In an operation 220, wagerprocessing instructions 123 may update the user account based on theoutcome. For example, a payout may be credited to a user account.

In an operation 222, wager processing instructions 123 may provide anindication of the outcome of the real-world wager to wager outcomereveal instructions 124. In an operation 224, wager outcome revealinstructions 124 may obtain one or more reveal rules that specify whenand/or how the outcome should be revealed to the user. For example, theone or more reveal rules may specify a parameter that indicates a timingof the reveal, what type and/or particular interactive media should beused to reveal the outcome, and/or other parameter that specifies areveal of the outcome.

In an operation 226, wager outcome reveal instructions 124 may determinea timing and/or interactive media interface to reveal the real-worldwager outcome. The timing and/or interactive media interface may bedetermined based on the one or more reveal rules.

In an operation 228, wager outcome reveal instructions 124 may generateand provide interactive media interface 134, which may include aninterface for an interactive game, video, and/or other interactive mediacontent. Interactive media interface 134 may reveal the outcome of thereal-world wager. For example, interactive media interface 134 maypresent an interactive media objective associated with the outcome ofthe real-world wager. In a particular example, the interactive mediaobjective may include an in-game objective such as, without limitation,hitting a target, completing a game level, watching a video for apredetermined length of time, and/or other objective.

In an implementation, upon successful completion of the objective, apayout of the real-world wager may be revealed such that the user isgiven the impression that the payout resulted from achieving theinteractive media objective when, in fact, the payout resulted from theoutcome of the real-world wager, which was determined prior to thesuccessful completion of the objective.

In an implementation, if the real-world wager resulted in a loss, wageroutcome reveal instructions 124 may not provide any interactive mediainterface 134 to the user. In another implementation, wager outcomereveal instructions 124 may provide an interactive media interface 134that provides an objective that is not achievable (e.g., cannot besuccessfully completed by the user, which may give the user animpression that the loss resulted from the failure to achieve theobjective when, in fact, the loss resulted from the outcome of thereal-world wager, which was determined prior to the failure by the userto complete the objective).

FIG. 3 illustrates a data flow diagram in a system of revealingreal-world wager outcomes based on user interactions with interactivemedia provided by a third party interactive media provider, according toan implementation of the invention.

In an operation 302, a real-world wager may be initiated. The real-worldwager may be initiated based on a token purchase, a user interaction inan interactive media interface, a direct initiation by the user, and/orother wager trigger that can cause the real-world wager to be initiated.In an operation 304, responsive to the wager initiation, computer system104 may place a real-world wager with wagering system(s) 140. In anoperation 306, an outcome of the real-world wager may be obtained bycomputer system 104. In an operation 308, a user account associated withthe user may be updated based on the outcome. For example, a trackingaccount associated with the user may be incremented by the payoutamount.

In an operation 310, a user may request (from user device 180)interactive media from a third party interactive media provider 160.Responsive to the request, in an operation 312, third party interactivemedia provider 160 may make an API call to third party interactive mediaAPI 132 requesting a reveal specification. The API call may include usercredentials (e.g., a username and password) used to authenticate theuser, reveal parameters specified by third party interactive mediaprovider 160, and/or other information. The reveal parameters mayspecify a limit on a payout amount to be revealed. For example, a twentyfive cent slot machine game may not provide large wins and therefore mayplace a limit on the amount of payout that it can reveal.

Other game-specific characteristics such as a requested denomination(e.g., a particular game may wish to provide payouts in particulardenominations or other items of value), a level of difficulty, anaverage length of gameplay, whether the game is online or offlineenabled, etc., may be used to specify the reveal as well, which may beprovided in the reveal parameters. For example, a particular game maywish to provide payouts using particular denominations of real orvirtual currency. Computer system 104 may convert a cash value of thepayout to the requested denomination such that any payout revealed bythe particular game is made in the requested denomination. In anotherexample, longer duration games may be associated with larger potentialpayout reveals. In an operation 314, third party interactive mediaprovider 160 may process the API call and request a reveal specificationfrom computer system 104.

In an operation 316, computer system 104 may obtain a revealspecification (which may take into account any reveal parameters) thatindicates how to reveal the outcome of the real-world wager. Forexample, the reveal specification may indicate when the reveal may occur(e.g., a time by which the reveal must occur before expiring), how thereveal may occur (e.g., in a single event or over multiple events), anamount of the reveal (e.g., a real currency value of the reveal), anybonus reveal that may be provided (e.g., a bonus virtual item thataccompanies the reveal), a level of difficulty of an objective used tomake the reveal (e.g., some reveals may require a moredifficult-to-achieve objective than other reveals), and/or otherparameters that specify how and/or when the reveal may occur.

In operations 318 and 320, the reveal specification may be communicatedto third party interactive media provider 160 through third partyinteractive media API 132. In an operation 322, the outcome of thereal-world wager may be revealed to the user based on the revealspecification. In an implementation, multiple reveal specifications maybe requested throughout gameplay (not illustrated in FIG. 3).

Third party interactive media provider 160 may use its own gamemechanics to reveal the outcome according to the reveal specification.For example, a shooting game may provide an objective to hit a targetthat, if hit by the user, causes the reveal to occur as if the outcomeof the real-world wager resulted from successful hit (even though theoutcome of the real-world wager was predefined). If not hit by the user,the reveal may not occur and may be saved for another revealopportunity, either within the shooting game and/or other interactivemedia. In another example, a puzzle game may provide an objective tocomplete at least a portion of a puzzle. In another example, a mediastreaming service may provide a video that upon viewing by the user forat least some period of time causes the reveal to occur. Other examplesusing different types of interactive media may be used as well,leveraging different types of game mechanics and other interactive mediaformats to potentially provide reveals of outcomes of real-world wagersto users.

In an implementation, user device 180 (which renders the game or otherinteractive media) may pre-cache the reveal specification. A givenreveal specification may be pre-cached before the game starts or afterthe game starts. In this manner, offline gameplay may be enabled where,once pre-cached at user device 180, reveals may occur during offlinegameplay. When the user device 180 returns online, any reveals thatoccurred may be reported to computer system 104.

In an implementation, the reveal specification may specify whether areveal can be associated with an objective that is achievable or has apredetermined outcome. For example, viewing a video may be achievableand may not be suitable for an objective that is predetermined to fail.

Although described with respect to third party interactive media API 132and third party interactive media provider 160, the processingoperations described with respect to FIG. 3 is applicable in othercontexts as well. For example, a game may execute on user device 180(whether or not third party interactive media provider 160 is involved).The game may request a reveal specification from computer system 104(along with reveal parameters, if applicable) and pre-cache the revealspecification before or during gameplay. The game may interface withcomputer system 104 using third party interactive media API 132 or anequivalent API that can interface with computer system 104.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram for a process of revealing real-worldwager outcomes based on user interactions with interactive media,according to an implementation of the invention.

In an operation 402, a wager initiation may be processed. The wagerinitiation may include a token purchase, a user interaction withinteractive media, a user specified wager specification, and/or otherway to initiate a real-world wager.

In an operation 404, a real-world wager may be placed responsive to thewager initiation.

In an operation 406, an outcome of the real-world wager may be obtained.The outcome may include a payout (e.g., a win), a loss, or a draw.

In an operation 408, a timing and/or particular interactive media toreveal the outcome may be determined. For example, payouts may useparticular types of interactive media while losses may use other typesof interactive media.

In an operation 410, the outcome may be revealed based on the timingand/or particular interactive media.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram for a process 500 of revealingoutcomes of real-world wagers that were triggered before userinteractions with interactive media, according to an implementation ofthe invention.

In an operation 502, a wager trigger may be processed. In an operation504, a real-world wager may be placed in response to the wager trigger.For example, and without limitation, a real-world wager on a horse racemay be placed. In an operation 506, a determination of whether theoutcome of the wager has been decided may be made. For example, adetermination of whether the result of the horse race has been decidedmay be made.

In an operation 508, if the outcome has not been decided, process 600may wait for a period of time for the outcome to be decided. In animplementation, the period of time may be predefined.

In an operation 510, a determination of whether the outcome was a lossor a draw may be determined. In an operation 512, if the outcome was aloss or a draw, no interactive media may be provided to the user thatreveals the outcome. In another implementation (not illustrated in FIG.5), interactive media that includes an objective that is not achievablemay be provided to the user.

In an operation 514, if the outcome was not a loss or a draw (e.g.,includes a payout), interactive media may be identified and provided tothe user. For example, a suitable game, video, etc., may be identifiedthat can be used as a medium for which to reveal the outcome of thereal-world wager such that it appears to the user that interaction withthe medium by the user resulted in the payout, even though the payoutwas determined before the user interaction.

In an operation 516, an interactive media objective that is achievablemay be presented to the user. The objective may be presented to the userexplicitly (e.g., a communication may be provided to the user: “defeat agame boss and receive a reward,” where the reward include the outcome ofthe real-world wager) or may appear to the user to occur during thecourse of interaction with the interactive media (e.g., a user maydefeat the game boss and be provided with the reward without any priornotification that doing so would result in the reward).

In an operation 518, an indication of a user interaction that attemptsto satisfy the objective may be received. In an operation 520, adetermination of whether the user interaction satisfies the objectivemay be made. If the objective is satisfied, in an operation 522, theoutcome of the real-world wager may be revealed to the user such thatthe outcome appears to have resulted from successful completion of theobjective. On the other hand, if the objective is not satisfied, in anoperation 524, the outcome may not be revealed (and the user may or maynot be notified of such failure). The outcome may be retained for alater reveal opportunity, either in the current interactive media and/orother interactive media that is provided to the user.

FIG. 6A illustrates a portion of a flow diagram for a process 600 ofrevealing outcomes of real-world wagers triggered by user interactionswith interactive media, according to an implementation of the invention.

In an operation 602, a real-world wager opportunity may be presented toa user through interactive media. The real-world wager opportunity maybe associated with the start of interactive media and/or duringinteractive media. For example, a user may be presented with anopportunity to start playing a game for a particular value of one ormore tokens, start viewing a video for the particular value, and/orstart other types of interactive media. Alternatively or additionally,the user may be presented with an in-game opportunity such as purchase aparticular item for a particular value of one or more tokens, anopportunity to continue watching a video for the particular value,and/or otherwise interact with the interactive media.

Whichever implementation is used to present a real-world wageropportunity, a user interaction that triggers a real-world wager may beobtained in an operation 604. For example, the user may indicate awillingness to start the game for the particular value of one or moretokens, purchase an in-game item, etc.

In an operation 606, responsive to the wager trigger from operation 604,a real-world wager may be placed. In an operation 608, a determinationof whether the outcome of the real-world wager has been decided may bedetermined. If the outcome has not been decided, process 600 may waitfor the outcome and continue provided the interactive media. Forexample, the game may be initiated and the user may be allowed to playthe game until the outcome is decided. In other implementations notillustrated in FIG. 6A, the start of the game (or other interactivemedia) or in-game purchase (or other user interaction) may be delayeduntil the outcome of the real-world wager has been decided. In anoperation 612, if the outcome of the real-world wager has been decided,a determination of whether the outcome was a loss or a draw may be made.

In an operation 614, if the outcome was a loss or a draw, an interactivemedia objective that is not achievable (e.g., predetermined to result infailure or a draw) may be presented to the user. For example, a targetthat cannot be hit may be presented to the user. In anotherimplementation not illustrated in FIG. 6A, an interactive mediaobjective may not be presented to the user if the outcome was a loss ora draw.

In an operation 616, a user interaction that attempts to satisfy theinteractive media objective that is not achievable may be received. Forexample, a user attempt to hit the target may be received. In anoperation 618, the failure may be indicated to the user such that theloss/draw resulting from the real-world wager appears to result from thefailure to satisfy the objective.

Referring back to operation 612, if the outcome was not a loss or adraw, process 600 may proceed to operation 620 illustrated in FIG. 6B,which illustrates another portion of a flow diagram for process 600 ofrevealing outcomes of real-world wagers triggered by user interactionswith interactive media, according to an implementation of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 6B, in operation 620, an interactive media objectivemay be presented to the user that is achievable. The objective may bepresented to the user explicitly (e.g., a communication may be providedto the user: “defeat a game boss and receive a reward,” where the rewardinclude the outcome of the real-world wager) or may appear to the userto occur during the course of interaction with the interactive media(e.g., a user may defeat the game boss and be provided with the rewardwithout any prior notification that doing so would result in thereward).

In an operation 622, an indication of a user interaction that attemptsto satisfy the objective may be received. In an operation 624, adetermination of whether the user interaction satisfies the objectivemay be made. If the objective is satisfied, in an operation 626, theoutcome of the real-world wager may be revealed to the user such thatthe outcome appears to have resulted from successful completion of theobjective. On the other hand, if the objective is not satisfied, in anoperation 628, the outcome may not be revealed (and the user may or maynot be notified of such failure). The outcome may be retained for alater reveal opportunity, either in the current interactive media and/orother interactive media that is provided to the user.

FIG. 7 illustrates a screenshot 700 of a user interface 701 used tointeract with the interactive media and wager platform provided bycomputer system 104, according to an implementation of the invention.User interface 701 (and other user interfaces described herein) may beused to cause various actions to be performed by computer system 104.

For example, an input 702, when selected (e.g., clicked or otherwiseinteracted with), may cause an account management interface to beprovided (as illustrated in FIG. 8).

An input 704, when selected, may cause a real-world wager interface tobe provided (as illustrated in FIG. 9). The real-world wager interfacemay allow the user to directly place real-world wagers via computersystem 104.

An input 706, when selected, may cause a game selection interface to beprovided (as illustrated in FIG. 10). The game selection interfaceallows the user to select games to play. Computer system 104 may revealan outcome of a real-world wager through the selected games.

An input 708, when selected, may cause a video selection interface to beprovided (not illustrated in the figures). The video selection interfaceallows the user to select videos to watch. Computer system 104 mayreveal an outcome of a real-world wager through the selected videos.

An input 710, when selected, may cause other interfaces that allowsselection of other interactive media (e.g., music, photos, etc.) to beprovided or other actions to be performed. Computer system 104 mayreveal an outcome of a real-world wager through the other interactivemedia.

FIG. 8 illustrates a screenshot 800 of a user interface 801 used tomanage user accounts, including transferring funds and purchasingtokens, according to an implementation of the invention. User interface801 may be used to transfer funds from a payment account (e.g., one ormore accounts that were added during the enrollment process) to a useraccount stored by computer system 104. Computer system 104 may causefunds to be transferred to/from various accounts responsive to theinputs received via user interface 801. In an implementation (notillustrated), user interface 801 may be used to add payment accountsthat can be used to provide funds.

User interface 801 may be used to purchase tokens. In an implementation,as illustrated, different tokens may correspond to differentdenominations of cash value. The user may specify which token and anumber of the tokens to purchase. The purchase of a given token maycause a real-world wager in the amount of the value of the given tokento be placed, which may cause the cash value of the given token to bedepleted (to pre-pay for the real-world wager). In an implementation,the given token may be used to interact with interactive media (e.g.,play a game). If so used, the outcome of the real-world wager may berevealed through the interactive media (and/or through other interactivemedia).

Alternatively or additionally, different tokens may have othercharacteristics (e.g., different levels of risk as described herein).The user may purchase different tokens based on their individualcharacteristics.

FIG. 9 illustrates a screenshot 900 of a user interface 901 used todirectly place wagers using the interactive media and wager platformprovided by the computer system, according to an implementation of theinvention. User interface 901 may be used by users to specify real-worldwagers to be placed. In this manner, a user may select wager parameters,such as, without limitation, an identification of the type of wageringevent on which to place a real-world wager, an identification of a venueat which to place the real-world wager (e.g., which of the wageringsystem(s) 140 to use), an identification of a wager event such as ahorse race on which to place a real-world wager, a selection of a winner(e.g., particular horse that will win the race, numbers that will berandomly drawn, etc.), and/or other wager parameter inputs such as anamount and number of real-world wagers to place.

In an implementation, computer system 104 may obtain and present wagerevent information (not illustrated in FIG. 9). The wager eventinformation may include, without limitation, a start of the event (e.g.,date and/or time that the wager event will take place), competitors inthe wager event (e.g., horses, teams, etc.) if applicable, oddsinformation related to the wager event (e.g., chances of winning, pointspread information, payouts, etc.), and/or other information. The wagerevent information may be obtained from wagering system(s) 140 and/orother source of information.

FIG. 10 illustrates a screenshot 1000 of a user interface 1001 used toselect games to play using the interactive media and wager platformprovided by the computer system, according to an implementation of theinvention. The selected games may be downloaded and/or streamed to userdevices (e.g., user device(s) 180). All or a portion of the selectablegames may be provided by computer system 104. All or a portion of theselectable games may be provided by third party game publishers (e.g.,third party interactive media provider(s) 160).

At least some of the selectable games may have a fee to play or be freeto play. At least some of the games may be a promotional rewardassociated with them, which may be indicated to the user. For example,“GAME 5” may be associated with a promotion that incents the user toplay the game. In an implementation, the incentive may be revealed inaddition to a reveal of an outcome of a real-world wager. For example,the incentive may augment the reveal of the outcome of the real-worldwager. In another implementation, the incentive may appear to be anadditional incentive, when, in fact, the incentive is merely a reveal ofthe outcome of the real-world wager. In other words, the incentive doesnot augment the reveal of the outcome of the real-world wager.

User interface 1001 may be provided by computer system 104 and/or atleast some of the aspects of user interface 1001 may be used inconventional online application stores, such as various mobileapplication stores used to provide game content to mobile devices.

FIG. 11 illustrates a screenshot 1100 of a game interface 1101 used toplay a game involving user skill in which a payout is revealed based onan event that occurs during gameplay, according to an implementation ofthe invention. A payout of a real-world wager may be revealed duringgameplay such that certain user interactions with the game (e.g., userinputs that result in certain in-game actions) are rewarded by revealingat least a portion of the payout.

For example, computer system 104 may allocate a ten dollar payout(resulting from a real-world wager that has already occurred prior tothe user interactions) to be potentially revealed by the game playedusing game interface 1101. Computer system 104 may determine theallocated payout amount based on various factors described herein. In animplementation, for example, the allocated payout amount may be based ona token used to play the game. For instance, if a particular two dollartoken was used to play the game, any payout that is associated with thatparticular two dollar token may be used as the allocated payout amount.

The game may reveal none, a portion, or all of the allocated payoutamount depending on an in-game action. Typically, the game may determinethe particular in-game actions that trigger reveals (and how much eachreveal should of the allocated potential reveal amount). Alternativelyor additionally, computer system 104 may indicate in-game actions thatshould trigger reveals.

The game may report back to computer system 104 the amount of the payoutthat was revealed (if any) so that computer system 104 may updaterelevant accounts associated with the user that played the game.

FIG. 12 illustrates a screenshot 1200 of a game interface 1201 used toplay a game involving user skill in which a payout is revealed based ona gameplay result, according to an implementation of the invention. Asdescribed above with respect to FIG. 11, the game may be allocated witha payout amount that may be potentially revealed. As illustrated in FIG.12, a payout may be revealed in association with an overall gameplay(e.g., result of a game that has ended). The amount of the payout thatis revealed may be determined based on a point total, a level total,and/or other gameplay performance metric. The gameplay performancemetric may be specified by the game itself and/or by computer system104.

FIG. 13 illustrates a screenshot 1300 of a game interface 1301 use toplay a game in which a payout is revealed based on random selections,according to an implementation of the invention. The game played usinguser interface 1301 may use a random event generator such as a randomnumber generator to generate random results. As illustrated in FIG. 13,the game includes a slot machine style game, although other randomoutcome based games may be used as well (e.g., a spinning wheel,randomly drawn numbers, etc.). As described above with respect to FIG.11, the game may be allocated with a payout amount that may bepotentially revealed. The amount of the allocated payout amount that isrevealed may be determined based on the random event.

For example, in the illustrated slot machine game, the amount of thepayout that is revealed may be based on a probability of an occurrenceof a combination of symbols (e.g., where each symbol may have its ownprobability of being randomly selected based on a randomly generatednumber). Less probable combinations may be associated with higherpayouts that are revealed. For instance, three “cherry” symbols mayresult in a maximum revealed payout (e.g., reveal the entire allocatedpayout amount), three “bell” symbols may result in half of the allocatedpayout amount being revealed, while zero matching symbols may result inzero payout being revealed.

By way of illustration and not limitation, an operation of gameplay fora game played using user interface 1301 will be described. The generalprinciples of this example may be applied to skill-based games as well.As previously described, computer system 104 may allocate a payoutamount that may be potentially revealed by the game. In animplementation, the game may provide an indication of a allocated payoutthat it should receive. For example, a game may not provide largepayouts and therefore may request a maximum payout allocation. In thismanner, the game may provide input used to determine the allocatedpayout amount. The game and/or the computer system 104 may determinevarious game events that trigger a reveal of at least a portion of theallocated payout amount that may be revealed.

The user may use a particular five dollar token to play the game. Thefive dollar token may be associated with an outcome of a real-worldwager. The allocated payout amount may be based on the outcome (e.g.,the allocated payout amount may be fifty dollars if the payoutassociated with the five dollar token is fifty dollars or the allocatedpayout amount may be zero dollars if the payout associated with the fivedollar token is zero dollars—this may occur when the real-world wagerlost).

Based on gameplay, the user may potentially appear to win up to theallocated payout amount (e.g., fifty dollars). Thus, the user may begiven the impression that gameplay results in winning a revealed amount,when in fact the revealed amount resulted from a payout of a real-worldwager in which the outcome has already occurred. In an implementation,the outcome occurs before gameplay even starts. In an implementation,the outcome occurs during gameplay (in which case, apparent potentialwins will not occur until the outcome occurs).

In the illustrated slot machine game, the game may use the five dollartoken used to play the game to provide a number of virtual pulls for achance to “win.” For example, if each pull costs one half dollar, thenthe user may have a possibility of making ten pulls using the fivedollar token. If none of the ten pulls results in a win (which may berandomly determined), then none of the allocated payout amount will berevealed and the game will communicate this to computer system 104. Onthe other hand, if at least some of the pulls results in a win, all or aportion of the allocated payout amount will be revealed. For example, ifa ten dollar win results from the first pull, the user may be given theimpression that the five dollar token may now be worth fifteen dollars(not accounting for the original half dollar fee for the first pull forillustrative purposes). The user may then continue gameplay using anumber of pulls equivalent for the fifteen dollars (e.g., thirty pulls).If the user continues gameplay and does not win again, then the tendollar reveal will be “unrevealed” and a zero reveal will becommunicated to computer system 104. On the other hand, if the user doesnot attempt more pulls after the ten dollar win, the game willcommunicate the ten dollar reveal to computer system 104, which mayupdate its records to indicate the ten dollar reveal occurred and/orindicate that forty dollars remains to be revealed.

Although illustrated as web-based interfaces (e.g., websites) renderedon a browser application, the various user interfaces described herein(e.g., illustrated by FIGS. 7-13) may include, without limitation, theweb-based interface, an electronic mail interface, a mobile applicationinterface (including smartphones and tablets), one or more applicationprogramming interfaces, a Smart TV interface, a console game interface,a virtual reality interface, a GAMESTICK interface, and/or otherinterfaces that may be pulled by users and/or pushed to users. As wouldbe appreciated, the various user interfaces may be communicably coupledto one or more components illustrated in FIG. 1 (e.g., computer system104) either directly and/or through intermediaries. As such, inputs,selections, and/or other interactions with the user interfaces may causeone or more functions to be performed by one or more componentsillustrated in FIG. 1 responsive to the interactions with the userinterfaces. Furthermore, the various graphical objects illustrated inthe user interfaces are for illustration and not limitation. Otherconfigurations, numbers, appearance, and/or other characteristics of thegraphical objects may be changed according to particular needs (e.g.,design/aesthetics).

Other implementations, uses and advantages of the invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of thespecification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. Thespecification should be considered exemplary only, and the scope of theinvention is accordingly intended to be limited only by the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer implemented method of maintaining arevealed balance and an unrevealed balance associated with real-worldwager payouts of a user to give the impression to the user of a changein value of the revealed balance based on user interactions withinteractive media even though a true change in value has not occurred,the method being implemented in a computer system having one or morephysical processors programmed with computer program instructions that,when executed by the one or more physical processors, cause the computersystem to perform the method, the method comprising: causing, by thecomputer system, an unrevealed balance associated with one or more useraccounts of the user to be stored, wherein the unrevealed balanceincludes one or more payouts from one or more real-world wagers placedon behalf of the user, the one or more payouts not having beencommunicated to the user; causing, by the computer system, a revealedbalance associated with the one or more user accounts of the user to bestored, wherein the revealed balance is communicated to the user so thatthe user is aware of the revealed balance and perceives the revealedbalance to reflect a true value associated with the one or moreaccounts; receiving, by the computer system, an indication that a changein value to the revealed balance has occurred, wherein the change invalue to the revealed account is communicated to the user so that theuser perceives that the true value of the one or more user accounts haschanged; updating, by the computer system, the revealed balance based onthe change in value; and updating, by the computer system, theunrevealed balance based on an inverse of the change in value so thatthe true value of the one or more user accounts remains the same despitethe user perception that the true value of the one or more user accountshas changed.